Method and apparatus for actively managing electric power over an electric power grid

ABSTRACT

Systems and methods for managing power supplied over an electric power grid by an electric utility and/or other market participants to multiple power consuming devices, each of which having a Power Supply Value (PSV) associated with its energy consumption and/or reduction in consumption. Power flow to the power consuming devices is selectively enabled and disabled, or power-reduced thereto, by one or more controllable devices controlled by the client device. Power control messages from a controlling server indicate amounts of electric power to be reduced and an identification of at least one controllable device to be instructed to disable or reduce a flow of electric power to one or more associated power consuming devices.

CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority to and is a continuation of U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 17/681,173, filed Feb. 25, 2022, which is acontinuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 16/138,299, filed Sep.21, 2018, which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No.14/568,950, filed Dec. 12, 2014, now U.S. Pat. No. 10,088,859, which isa continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/528,596, filedJun. 20, 2012, now U.S. Pat. No. 9,207,698, each of which is hereinincorporated by reference in its entirety.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates generally to the field of electrical powerload control systems, and more particularly, to a method and system andapparatus for actively controlling power load management for customersattached to the electric power grid, and for creating operating reservesfor utilities and market participants.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

For applications of electrical power load management, the presentinvention provides for systems and methods for actively controllingpower load management for customers attached to the electric grid andfor creating operating reserves for utilities and market participants.The present invention further provides additional tracking of powersavings for both the individual customer, broadly defined as anyconsumer of electrical power whether this is an individual residentialconsumer, a large commercial/industrial customer or any combinationthereof, inclusive of retail electric providers and market participantsas well as the overall electric utility whether generating ordistributing.

Accordingly, the present invention is directed to systems for managingpower on an electric power grid that is constructed and configured forsupplying and receiving power from a multiplicity of sources, where thepower flows to a plurality of power consuming devices or is generated bya plurality of power generation and storage solutions that are enabledand disabled by a plurality of controllable devices, wherein the systemincludes: a server comprising a command processor operable to receive orinitiate power control commands and issue power control event messagesresponsive thereto, at least one of the power control commands requiringa reduction in an amount of electric power consumed by the plurality ofpower consuming devices; an event manager operable to receive the powercontrol event messages, maintain at least one power management statusrelating to each client device and issue power control eventinstructions responsive to the power control event messages that areinitiated from a market participant, a utility, or an electric gridoperator; a database for storing, information relating to power consumedby the plurality of power consuming devices and based upon the amount ofpower to be reduced to each of the power consuming devices, generating afirst power supply value (PSV); and a client device manager operablycoupled to the event manager and the database, the client device managerselecting from the database, based on the information stored in thedatabase, at least one client device to which to issue a power controlmessage indicating at least one of an amount of electric power to bereduced or increased and identification of at least one controllabledevice to be instructed to disable a flow of electric power to one ormore associated power consuming devices responsive to receipt of a powercontrol event instruction requiring a reduction in a specified amount ofelectric power; the plurality of controllable device and correspondingdevice interfaces facilitating communication of power controlinstructions to the controllable devices, the power control instructionscausing the at least one controllable device to selectively enable anddisable a flow of power to the power consuming device(s); and a devicecontrol manager operably coupled to the controllable device interfacesfor issuing a power control instruction to the controllable devicesthrough the controllable device interfaces, responsive to the receivedpower control message, the power control instruction causing thecontrollable device(s) to disable a flow of electric power to at leastone associated power consuming device for reducing consumed power, andbased upon the reduction in consumed power, generating a second powersupply value (PSV) corresponding to the reduction in consumed power.

Also, the present invention is directed to method for managing power onan electric power grid that is constructed and configured for supplyingand receiving power from a multiplicity of sources, where the powerflows to a plurality of power consuming devices or is generated by aplurality of power generation and storage solutions that are enabled anddisabled by a plurality of controllable devices, the method stepsincluding: initiating power control commands by a server including acommand processor operable to receive or initiate power control commandsand issue power control event messages responsive thereto, at least oneof the power control commands requiring a reduction in an amount ofelectric power consumed by the plurality of power consuming devices; anevent manager receiving the power control event messages, maintain atleast one power management status relating to each client device andissuing power control event instructions responsive to the power controlevent messages that are initiated from a market participant, a utility,or an electric grid operator; storing in a database, informationrelating to power consumed by the plurality of power consuming devicesand based upon the amount of power to be reduced to each of the powerconsuming devices, generating a first power supply value (PSV); and aclient device manager selecting from the database, based on theinformation stored in the database, at least one client device to whichto issue a power control message indicating at least one of an amount ofelectric power to be reduced or increased and identification of at leastone controllable device to be instructed to disable a flow of electricpower to one or more associated power consuming devices responsive toreceipt of a power control event instruction requiring a reduction in aspecified amount of electric power; wherein the plurality ofcontrollable device and corresponding device interfaces facilitatingcommunication of power control instructions to the controllable devices,the power control instructions causing the at least one controllabledevice to selectively enable and disable a flow of power to the powerconsuming device(s); and a device control manager issuing a powercontrol instruction to the controllable devices through the controllabledevice interfaces, responsive to the received power control message, thepower control instruction causing the controllable device(s) to disablea flow of electric power to at least one associated power consumingdevice for reducing consumed power, and based upon the reduction inconsumed power, generating a second power supply value (PSV)corresponding to the reduction in consumed power.

These and other aspects of the present invention will become apparent tothose skilled in the art after a reading of the following description ofthe preferred embodiment when considered with the drawings, as theysupport the claimed invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1A illustrates a schematic diagram of an IP-based active power loadmanagement system in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of thepresent invention.

FIG. 1B is a schematic diagram illustrating an exemplary active loadclient (ALC) smart meter use case example according to the presentinvention, wherein the ALC is shown as a component of the system of FIG.1A.

FIG. 1C illustrates a flow diagram of methods according to the presentinvention for tracking power usage and power supply value (PSV)generation.

FIG. 1D illustrates a flow diagram of methods according to the presentinvention for tracking state of ALCs having an IP address within anelectric power grid system.

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram illustrating an exemplary systemarrangement for conservation voltage reduction.

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram an IP-based active energy managementsystem in accordance with the present invention, including components ofALC, ALD, IP-based communication, load control devices and powerconsuming devices.

PRIOR ART FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram illustrating generation,transmission, distribution, and load consumption within a traditionalelectric power grid.

PRIOR ART FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram illustrating traditionaltransmission systems that connect to electric power sources todistribution facilities, including smart metering and advanced metering.

PRIOR ART FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram illustrating power generation orsupply balancing with customer demand for electric power within a grid.

PRIOR ART FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram illustrating balancing areas andtheir interaction for power generation or supply balancing with customerdemand for electric power within a grid.

PRIOR ART FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram illustrating regions andbalancing areas and their interaction for power generation or supplybalancing with customer demand for electric power within a grid.

PRIOR ART FIG. 9 is a graphic illustration of daily load shape and baseload for electric power grid operations, including sufficient operatingreserves to address peak load conditions.

PRIOR ART FIG. 10 is a graph illustrating operating reserves ofdifferent types of responsiveness required for generation and operationof an electric power grid.

PRIOR ART FIG. 11 is a bar graph illustrating applications of operatingreserves of different types and communications networks and timing forcontrol events.

PRIOR ART FIG. 12 is a schematic illustration for balancing resourceswithin an electric power grid, including grid stability elements offrequency.

FIG. 13 is a schematic diagram illustrating components including ALD,ALC, and IP communications for distributed grid intelligence withinsystems of the present invention.

FIG. 14 is a schematic diagram that illustrates smart grid withdecentralized networks according to systems and methods of the presentinvention.

FIG. 15 is another schematic diagram that illustrates smart grid withdecentralized networks according to systems and methods of the presentinvention.

FIG. 16 is yet another schematic diagram that illustrates smart gridwith decentralized networks according to systems and methods of thepresent invention.

FIG. 17A shows a schematic diagram for supply from utility, marketparticipant, CSP, and/or REP, ALD/cloud layer, ICCP, control anddispatch, and microgrid enablement according to systems and methods ofthe present invention.

FIG. 17B is a table illustrating three FERC orders and theirapplicability to the electric power grid load management addressed bythe present invention.

FIG. 18 is a graphic illustration of operating reserves categories andbase load.

FIG. 19 is a schematic diagram representing operating reserves forsupply side generation of electric power for a grid, active loaddirector (ALD), active load client (ALC), power consuming devices, andother components of the systems and methods of the present invention forgenerating operating reserves of different categories.

FIG. 20 is a schematic diagram showing one embodiment of the presentinvention including power consuming devices, control devices, ALC, ALD,customer profile, IP communication network, and grid telemetrycomponents of systems and methods of the present invention.

FIG. 21A is a schematic diagram showing one embodiment of the presentinvention including energy management system (EMS), power consumingdevices, control devices, ALC, ALD, customer profile, IP communicationnetwork, and grid telemetry components of systems and methods of thepresent invention.

FIG. 21B is a schematic diagram showing one embodiment of the presentinvention including EMS, power consuming devices, control devices, ALC,ALD, customer profile, IP communication network, and grid telemetrycomponents of systems and methods of the present invention.

FIG. 22 is a table of consumer-adjustable parameters as examples forsystems and methods components according to the present invention.

FIG. 23 is a flow diagram illustrating method steps for energy consumingdevices and the generation of power supply value (PSV) according toembodiments of the present invention, including learning profile.

FIG. 24 is a graph showing at least three (3) dimensions for factorsassociated with load consumption and devices managing temperaturecontrol for corresponding power consuming devices, including the changein factors over time.

FIG. 25 is a graph showing first, second, and additional standarddeviations of for the chart of drift versus time, for use with thesystems and methods of the present invention.

FIG. 26 is a flow diagram for methods of the present invention forcalculating the time period for environmentally dependent andindependent devices and determining or generating power supply value(PSV) for those power-consuming devices.

FIG. 27 is a schematic diagram illustrating exemplary IP-based activepower load management system in accordance with one embodiment of thepresent invention.

FIG. 28 is a schematic diagram illustrating a schematic diagram of anexemplary active load director in accordance with one embodiment of thepresent invention.

FIG. 29 is a schematic diagram illustrating a schematic diagram of anexemplary active load client in accordance with one embodiment of thepresent invention.

FIG. 30 is a flow diagram illustrating steps in a method for updatinginformation relating to ALCs and/or ALD database.

FIG. 31 provides a schematic diagram illustrating analytics for how thesystem and methods of the present invention provides additionaloperating (e.g., regulating, spinning and/or non-spinning) reserve to apower utility, market participant, grid operator, etc.

FIG. 32 illustrates a screen shot of an exemplary web browser interfacethrough which a customer is able to designate his or her deviceperformance and energy saving preferences for anenvironmentally-dependent, power consuming device in accordance with oneembodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 33 is a graph that depicts a load profile of a utility during aprojected time period, showing actual energy usage as well as projectedenergy usage determined with and without a control event, in accordancewith an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

Overall, the systems and methods of the present invention provideOperating Reserves for grid stability of an electric power grid.

Before describing in detail exemplary embodiments that are in accordancewith the present invention, note that the embodiments reside primarilyin combinations of system and apparatus components, and processingsteps, all related to actively managing power load on an individualsubscriber basis and optionally tracking power savings incurred by bothindividual subscribers and an electric utility or other marketparticipant. Accordingly, the systems, apparatus, and method stepscomponents have been represented where appropriate by conventionalsymbols in the drawings, showing only those specific details that arepertinent to understanding the embodiments of the present invention soas not to obscure the disclosure with details that will be readilyapparent to those of ordinary skill in the art having the benefit of thedescription herein.

The increased awareness of the impact of carbon emissions from the useof fossil fueled electric generation combined with the increased cost ofproducing base load, intermediate, and peak power during high loadconditions has increased the need for alternative solutions utilizingload control as a mechanism to defer, or in some cases eliminate, theneed for the deployment of additional generation capacity by electricutilities, generating utilities, or distributing utilities or any gridoperator or market participant whose primary function is to facilitatethe production, distribution, operation and sale of electricity toindividual consumers. Existing electric utilities are pressed formethods to defer or eliminate the need for construction of fossil-basedor macro large scale electricity generation while dealing with the needto integrate new sources of generation such as renewable energy sourcesor distributed energy resources whose production and integration intothe electric grid is problematic.

Today, a patchwork of systems exist to implement demand response loadmanagement programs, whereby various radio subsystems in variousfrequency bands utilize “one-way” transmit only methods of communicationor most recently deployed a plurality of proprietary two-way methods ofcommunications with electric customers or their load consuming deviceand measurement instruments including, by way of example, “smartmeters.” Under these programs, radio frequency (RF)-controlled relayswitches are typically attached to a customer's air conditioner, waterheater, or pool pumps, or other individual load consuming devices. Ablanket command is sent out to a specific geographic area whereby allreceiving units within the range of the transmitting station (e.g.,typically a paging network) are turned off during peak hours at theelection of the power utility. After a period of time when the peak loadhas passed, a second blanket command is sent to turn on those devicesthat have been turned off. This “load shifting” has the undesired effectof occasionally causing “secondary peaks” and generally require consumerincentives for adoption.

Most recent improvements that follow the same concepts are RF networksthat utilize a plurality of mesh based, non-standard communicationsprotocols that utilize IEEE 802.15.4 or its derivatives, or ZIGBEEprotocol end devices to include load control switches, programmablethermostats that have pre-determined set points for accomplishing the“off” or “cut” or reduce command simultaneously or pre-loaded in theresident memory of the end device. The programmable thermostats orbuilding control systems (PCTs) move the set point of the HVAC (oraffect another inductive or resistive device) or remove a resistivedevice from the electric grid thus accomplishing the same “loadshifting” effect previously described. All of these methods require andrely on statistical estimations for measuring their effectiveness anduse historical information that are transmitted via these same “smartmeters” to provide after-the-fact evidence that an individual device orconsumer complied with the demand response event. Protocols that areemployed for these methods include “Smart Energy Profiles Versions 1 &2” and its derivatives to provide utilities and their consumers anattempt at standardization amongst various OEMs of PCTs, switching, andcontrol systems through a plurality of protocols and interfaces. Thesemethods remain crude and do not include real time, measurement,verification, settlement and other attributes necessary to have theirDemand Response effects utilized for effective Operating Reserves withthe exception of limited programs for “Emergency” Capacity Programs.Furthermore, for effective settlement and control of mobile storagedevices such as Electric Vehicles, these early “Smart Grid” devices arenot capable of meeting the requirements of Federal Energy RegulatoryCommission (FERC), North American Electric Reliability Corp. (NERC) orother standards setting bodies such as the National Institute of Science& Technology (NIST) Smart Grid Roadmap.

While telemetering has been used for the express purpose of reportingenergy usage, no cost effective techniques exist for calculating powerconsumption, carbon gas emissions, sulfur dioxide (SO₂) gas emissions,and/or nitrogen dioxide (NO₂) emissions, and reporting the state of aparticular device under the control of a two-way positive control loadmanagement device or other combinations of load control previouslydescribed. In particular, one way wireless communications devices havebeen utilized to de-activate electrical appliances, such as heating,ventilation, and air-conditioning (HVAC) units, water heaters, poolpumps, and lighting or any inductive or resistive device that iseligible as determined by a utility or market participant fordeactivation, from an existing electrical supplier or distributionpartner's network. These devices have typically been used in combinationwith wireless paging receivers or FM radio carrier data modulation, or aplurality of 2-way proprietary radio frequency (RF) technologies, thatreceive “on” or “off” commands from a paging transmitter or transmitterdevice. Additionally, the one-way devices are typically connected to aserving electrical supplier's control center via landline trunks, or insome cases, microwave transmission to the paging transmitter. Thecustomer subscribing to the load management program receives a discountor some other form of economic incentive, including direct payments forallowing the serving electrical supplier (utility), retail electricprovider or any other market participant to connect to their electricalappliances with a one-way load control switch and deactivate thoseappliances during high energy usage periods. This technique of demandresponse is used mostly by utilities or any market participant for “peakshifting” where the electric load demand curve is moved from a peakperiod to a less generation intensive time interval and are favored byrate-based utilities who earn capital returns of new power plants. Thesemethods are previous art and generally no conservation of energy ismeasured. In many instances, secondary peak periods occur when thecumulative effect of all the resistive and inductive devices arereleased from the “off” state simultaneously.

While one-way devices are generally industry standard and relativelyinexpensive to implement, the lack of a return path from the receiver,combined with the lack of information on the actual devices connected tothe receiver, make the system highly inefficient and largely inaccuratefor measuring the actual load shed to the serving utility or compliantwith measurement and verification for presenting a balancing authorityor independent system operator for operating reserves. While thedifferential current draw is measurable on the serving electricutility's transmission lines and at electrical bus or substations, theactual load shed is approximate and the location of the load deferral isapproximated at the control center of the serving utility or otherstatistical methods are considered to approximate the individual orcumulative effect on an electric utility grid. The aforementioned“two-way” systems are simultaneously defective in addressing real timeand near real time telemetry needs that produce generation equivalenciesthat are now recognized by FERC Orders such as FERC 745 wheremeasurable, verifiable Demand Response “negawatts”, defined as real timeor near real time load curtailment where measurement and verification isable to be provided within the tolerances required under such programspresented by FERC, NERC, or the governing body that regulate gridoperations. The aforementioned “smart meters” in combination with theirdata collection systems commonly referred to as “Advanced MeteringInfrastructure” generally collect interval data from meters inHISTORICAL fashion and report this information to the utility, marketparticipant or grid operator AFTER the utility or grid operator has sentnotice for curtailment events or “control events” to initiate due tohigh grid stress that includes lack of adequate operating reserves tomeet demand, frequency variations, voltage support and any other gridstabilizing needs as identified by the utility or grid operator andpublished and governed by FERC, NERC, or other applicable regulations.

One exemplary telemetering system is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No.6,891,838 B1. This patent describes details surrounding a meshcommunication of residential devices and the reporting and control ofthose devices, via WANs, to a computer. The stated design goal in thispatent is to facilitate the “monitoring and control of residentialautomation systems.” This patent does not explain how a serving utilityor customer could actively control the devices to facilitate thereduction of electricity. In contrast, this patent discloses techniquesthat could be utilized for reporting information that is being displayedby the serving utility's power meter (as do many other priorapplications in the field of telemetering).

An additional exemplary telemetering system is disclosed in U.S. PatentPublication No. 2005/0240315 A1. The primary purpose of this publishedapplication is not to control utility loads, but rather “to provide animproved interactive system for remotely monitoring and establishing thestatus of a customer utility load.” A stated goal of this publication isto reduce the amount of time utility field personnel have to spend inthe field servicing meters by utilizing wireless technology.

Another prior art system is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,633,823, whichdescribes, in detail, the use of proprietary hardware to remotely turnoff or turn on devices within a building or residence. While initiallythis prior art generally describes a system that assists utilities inmanaging power load control, the prior art does not contain the uniqueattributes necessary to construct or implement a complete system. Inparticular, this patent is deficient in the areas of security, loadaccuracy of a controlled device, and methods disclosing how a customerutilizing applicable hardware might set parameters, such as temperatureset points, customer preference information, and customer overrides,within an intelligent algorithm that reduces the probability of customerdissatisfaction and service cancellation or churn.

Attempts have been made to bridge the gap between one-way, un-verifiedpower load control management systems and positive control verifiedpower load control management systems. However, until recently,technologies such as smart breakers and command relay devices were notconsidered for use in residential and commercial environments primarilydue to high cost entry points, lack of customer demand, and the cost ofpower generation relative to the cost of implementing load control ortheir ability to meet the measurement, telemetry, verificationrequirements of the grid operator or ISO. Furthermore, submeteringtechnology within the smart breaker, load control device, command relaydevices or building control systems have not existed in the prior art.

One such gap-bridging attempt is described in U.S. Patent PublicationNo. US 2005/0065742 A1. This publication discloses a system and methodfor remote power management using IEEE 802 based wireless communicationlinks. The system described in this publication includes an on-premiseprocessor (OPP), a host processor, and an end device. The host processorissues power management commands to the OPP, which in turn relays thecommands to the end devices under its management. While the disclosedOPP does provide some intelligence in the power management system, itdoes not determine which end devices under its control to turn-offduring a power reduction event, instead relying on the host device tomake such decision. For example, during a power reduction event, the enddevice must request permission from the OPP to turn on. The request isforwarded to the host device for a decision on the request in view ofthe parameters of the on-going power reduction event. The system alsocontemplates periodic reading of utility meters by the OPP and storageof the read data in the OPP for later communication to the host device.In one embodiment, the OPP also includes intelligence to indicate to thehost processor that the OPP will not be able to comply with a powerreduction command due to the inability of a load under the OPP's controlto be deactivated. However, neither the host processor nor the OPPdetermine which loads to remove in order to satisfy a power reductioncommand from an electric utility, particularly when the command isissued by one of several utilities under the management of a powermanagement system. Further, neither the host processor nor the OPPtracks or accumulates power saved and/or carbon credits earned on a percustomer or per utility basis for future use by the utility and/orcustomer. Still further, the system of this publication lacks a rewardincentive program to customers based on their participation in the powermanagement system. Still further, the system described in thispublication does not provide for secure communications between the hostprocessor and the OPP, and/or between the OPP and the end device. As aresult, the described system lacks many features that are sometimesnecessary for a commercially viable implementation.

Customer profiles are often used by systems for a variety of reasons.One reason is to promote customer loyalty. This involves keepinginformation about not only the customer, but about the customer'sactions as well. This includes information about what the customer owns(i.e., which devices), how they are used, when they are used, etc. Bymining this data, a company is able to more effectively select rewardsfor customers that give those customers an incentive for continuing todo business with the company. This is often described as customerrelationship management (CRM).

Customer profile data is also useful for obtaining feedback about how aproduct is used. In software systems, this is often used to improve thecustomer/user experience or as an aid to testing. Deployed systems thathave customer profiling communicate customer actions and other data backto the development organization. That data is analyzed to understand thecustomer's experience. Lessons learned from that analysis is used tomake modifications to the deployed system, resulting in an improvedsystem.

Customer profile data is also be used in marketing and sales. Forinstance, a retail business collects a variety of information about acustomer, including what customers look at on-line and inside“brick-and-mortar” stores. This data is mined to try to identifycustomer product preferences and shopping habits. Such data helps salesand marketing determine how to present products of probable interest tothe customer, resulting in greater sales.

However, the collection of customer profile information by powerutilities, retail electric providers or any other market participantthat sells retail electric commodity to end customers (residential orcommercial) has been limited to customer account information of grosselectrical consumption and inferential information about how power isbeing consumed but requires customers to take their own actions. Becausepower utilities, REPs, market participants typically are unable tocollect detailed data about what is happening inside a customer's homeor business, including patterns of energy consumption by device, therehas been little opportunity to create extensive customer profiles.

Thus, none of the prior art systems, methods, or devices providecomplete solutions for actively controlling power load management forcustomers attached to the electric grid, and for creating operatingreserves for utilities and market participants. Therefore, a need existsfor a system and method for active power load management that isoptionally capable of tracking power savings for the individual customeras well as the electric utility and any other market participant tothereby overcome the shortcomings of the prior art.

The aggregation of the longstanding, unmet needs in the relevant art isthe basis for new innovation, including solutions offered by the presentinvention, having systems and apparatus components that include thefollowing attributes:

-   -   a. The system, apparatus, methods and devices utilize standards        based OSI Layer 1-3 communications protocols with a plurality of        security encryption methods.    -   b. The communication layer is Internet Protocol based such that        the instructions, commands, measurements and telemetry is        transmitted via Ethernet, first generation wireless        communications methods (analog or digital), second generation        communications methods such as Code Division Multiple Access        (1×RTT), Enhanced Data Rates for GSM Evolution (EDGE), third        generation protocols such as Evolution for Data Only (EVDO),        High Speed Packet Access (HSPA), Fourth Generation protocols        Long Term Evolution (LTE), IEEE 802.11 (X) WI-FI or any        derivative standard approved by the IEEE, International        Telecommunications Union or any domestic or international        standards body or any proprietary protocols that are able to        operate in near real time and contain an Internet Protocol        packet for the transmittal of their command, control, telemetry,        measurement, verification or settlement information.    -   c. The command and control for the purpose of (b) is able to be        created and controlled from a centralized processor, a        distributed processing apparatus, or at the device level.    -   d. The aggregation of these methods result in the creation of        real time load curtailment that is classified broadly as “Demand        Response” but largely create Operating Reserves as defined by        NERC, FERC, and/or any other governing body that regulates the        operation of an electric power grid and/or utilities or other        market participant providing power to an electric power grid.

The following descriptions and definitions are included herein for thepurpose of clarifying terms used in the claims and specification of thepresent invention, in addition to explanation of the relevant prior art,including the PRIOR ART figures and those figures illustrating thepresent invention.

By way of introduction to the present invention, FIG. 1A illustrates aschematic diagram of an IP-based active power load management system inaccordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. Thisdiagram shows analogies for how load-consuming devices are addressableby an active load director (ALD), by comparison to communicationnetworks such as the Internet. FIG. 1B provides a schematic diagramillustrating an exemplary active load client (ALC) smart meter use caseexample according to the present invention, wherein the ALC is shown asa component of the system of FIG. 1A. FIG. 1C illustrates a flow diagramof methods according to the present invention for tracking power usageand power supply value (PSV) generation, which is an important componentof embodiments of the present invention, as will be described in moredetail in the specification hereinbelow. In other method steps for thepresent invention, FIG. 1D illustrates a flow diagram of methodsaccording to the present invention for tracking state of ALCs having anIP address within an electric power grid system. FIG. 2 is a schematicdiagram providing an overview of an IP-based active energy managementsystem (EMS) in accordance with the present invention, includingcomponents of ALC, ALD, IP-based communication, load control devices andpower consuming devices, which are described in more detail in thefollowing specification. As illustrated, the EMS/Grid Operator/MarketParticipant/Retail Electric Provider/Independent PowerProducer/Automatic Generation Control component(s) of the system of thepresent invention are in networked communication with ALD(s) viaIP-based communication methods, for communicating load control events tocontrol devices and/or ALCs for managing load consumed by powerconsuming devices. A variety of system elements are illustrated forexemplary purposes, to show the interaction between the power generationor source provider and the power consuming devices. Notably, manydevices are constructed and configured for communication through the ALDsuch that they are controlled by an EMS, as illustrated in thesefigures, in particular in FIG. 2 .

In another aspect of factors addressed by the present invention, FIG. 3is a schematic diagram illustrating an exemplary system arrangement forconservation voltage reduction (CVR). Transmission lines, illustrated onthe left side of the diagram, transfer electric power from the powergeneration source, which is able to include a utility, to an electricalbus or substation, where it is transformed to provide distributionvoltages (e.g., about 6.9 kV in this example and single phase) toadditional transformers, indicated as F1, F2, F3, . . . FN, wherevoltage measurement along the feeder via ALC(s). Under currentstandards, voltages must be kept at between about +/−3% and about +/−5%,but in any case maintained as required by standards, for finaldistribution at the end of the line to prevent damage to power consumingdevices. The ALCs preferably transmit voltage information and line lossinformation to the ALD(s). The ALD establishes a phase/voltage “locked”loop to automatically control the voltages so that the CVR createsmegawatts of operating reserves according to the methods and systems ofthe present invention.

Also, by way of introduction to the commercial application of thepresent invention, considering basic operations of the electric powergrid is helpful, in conjunction with the PRIOR ART figures referencedherein. PRIOR ART FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram illustrating generation,transmission, distribution, and load consumption within a traditionalelectric power grid. PRIOR ART FIG. 5 is a schematic diagramillustrating traditional transmission systems that connect to electricpower sources to distribution facilities, including smart metering andadvanced metering.

PRIOR ART FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram illustrating power generation orsupply balancing with customer demand for electric power within a grid.PRIOR ART FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram illustrating balancing areas andtheir interaction for power generation or supply balancing with customerdemand for electric power within a grid, where utilities are connectedby transmission lines and balancing areas. PRIOR ART FIG. 8 is aschematic diagram illustrating regions and balancing areas and theirinteraction for power generation or supply balancing with customerdemand for electric power within a grid. These balancing areas (BAs)provide for opportunities for the electric power grid and/or amultiplicity of grids that are constructed and configured for networkedcommunication and power distribution therebetween. One of the mainreasons for collaboration across BAs is illustrated by PRIOR ART FIG. 9, showing a graphic illustration of daily load shape and base load forelectric power grid operations, including sufficient operating reservesto address peak load conditions. A single grid or sector within a gridis often not be operable to manage its operating reserves throughcurtailment or additional generation, in particular according to timerequirements, as shown in PRIOR ART FIG. 10 , where operating reservesare indicated as having different types of responsiveness required forgeneration and operation of an electric power grid. By way of furtherexplanation, PRIOR ART FIG. 11 bar graph shows applications of operatingreserves of different types and communications networks and timing forcontrol events. Finally, PRIOR ART FIG. 12 illustrates balancingresources within an electric power grid, including grid stabilityelements of frequency.

The present invention systems and methods provide hereinbelow for powertrade blocks (PTBs) for facilitating the collaboration across balancingareas and regions. In preferred embodiments of the present invention, atleast one PTB is introduced and/or provided to the electric power grid,including method steps of: valuing, trading, selling, bartering,sharing, exchanging, crediting, and combinations thereof. Thus thepresent invention provides for electric trading market across BAs ormicrogrids or individual load consuming customers.

Telemetry, measurement, verification, PSV, and other factors describedherein, in compliance with FERC 745, provide with the present inventionthe capacity for customers providing curtailment as operating reservesto be compensated for megawatts at the clearing price. Clearing pricesare either determined by many attributes including their location ofwhere the power is delivered or accepted by a generator of power or apurchaser of power. The term “Locational Marginal Pricing (LMP)” refersto a node where power is either delivered from a generator or acceptedby a purchaser. A node corresponds to a physical bus or collection ofbuses within the network or any other geodetically defined boundary asspecified by the governing entity. A load zone is defined as anaggregation of nodes. The zonal price is the load-weighted average ofthe prices of all nodes in the zone. A hub is defined as therepresentative selection of nodes to facilitate long-term commercialenergy trading. The hub price is a simple average of LMPs at all hublocations. An external or proxy node is defined as the location thatserves as a proxy for trading between ISO-Balancing area and itsneighbors.

For vertically integrated utilities that do not have open markets asISOs, their delivery or acceptance of power is able to occur at theirboundaries of their “Balancing Area”, which is defined as the geographywhere their transmission and distribution system extends and is subjectto grid stability maintained by that utility. Balancing Authorityboundaries are also able to be delivery points or (LMP) pricing points.It should be noted that vertically integrated utilities are subject tothe same FERC and NERC rules as decoupled utilities in ISOs, except invertically integrated utilities, local public utility commissions havemore authority to enforce and enhance rules since the rate base is beingcharged for improvements to the grid within the balancing area (BA) thatthe utility serves. FIG. 17B is a table illustrating three FERC ordersand their applicability to the electric power grid load managementaddressed by the present invention. The trend in the world market is toinject market forces to utilities such that they must follow new FERCrules that permit the use of demand response technologies/loadcurtailment technologies to promote the need for fewer large scale,primarily fossil fuel power plants.

Power is generally traded in terms of “Capacity” the reserved peakamount of power that a generator agrees to reserve for the utility,market participant, or REP; and “Energy” is defined as the amount ofpower consumed by the utility, market participant, REP or any entitythat is authorized to buy, sell or distribute power for the electricpower grid, consumers, particularly commercial accounts, also purchasepower in this manner. Energy is settled on the wholesale market in“MegaWatt Hours”, which is defined as one (1) million watts ofelectricity consumed at a metering point, or interchange of power such aLMP, transmission tie point between two utilities, a commercial customerlarge enough to consume such an amount, a utility (generating ordistributing) or a market participant including a REP that generallypurchases the power from a generating utility and utilizes thedistribution network to supply its power purchased at the wholesalelevel and distributes its power to end consumers/customers generally insmaller increments of measurement “kilowatt hours (kWH).” Theseincrements are important due to the introduction of programs involvingutilizing curtailment technologies enabled by FERC Order 745 wherebyutilities, market participants, REPs and CSPs aggregate theircurtailment/DR in increments of “kW-representing a capacity figure” and“kWH” which represents avoided energy. Peak “capacity” charges aresettled based upon intervals whereby the instantaneous peak (kW/MW)determines the “capacity” charge.

In 2011, FERC issued a series of orders that have had a pronouncedimpact on the injection of new technologies, particularly distributedload resource, curtailment, demand response technologies, to the marketto be implemented across all of the US and with direct applicability toWorld markets. FERC Order 745, issued Mar. 15, 2011 and adopted April2011, and which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety,provides that utilities, market participants, CSPs, REPs or any otherentity that is able to aggregate a minimum trading block of power thatis able to be accepted into the market, BA, or utility service area orregional trading area (RTO) must be compensated for suchcurtailment/load resource and demand response technology at the clearingprice at the nearest LMP as though it was generation. Said plainly,“Negawatts” have the same value as “Megawatts.” Controversial,particularly to those utilities that still have the antiquated practiceof rate base recovery of assets to insure profits, the conditions ofwhich these “Negawatts” are compensated as “Megawatts” place a highvalue on those curtailment/load resource/demand response technologiesthat are able to create utility Operating Reserves for the benefit ofgrid stability. Operating Reserves, previously defined, come indifferent capacity and energy products or their equivalencies in thecase of curtailment/load resources/demand response and are compensatedat the nearest LMP based upon their ability to perform to the same levelof measurement, verification, responsiveness (latency) and settlement asgeneration. This high standard has the practical effect of rewardingthose advanced technologies that are able to perform as generationequivalencies (load resources), while still allowing capacity products(traditional and advanced demand response) to also participate in themarket and perform the valuable function of providing capacity andenergy resources without the need for transmission losses (avoided poweravoids transmission of kWH/MWH to the endpoint, therefore freeing uptransmission and distribution lines to carry power elsewhere where it isneeded). It should be noted that most utilities do not have accuratemeasurements of distribution losses below their electrical bus(substation levels) and as such high performance, IP based ALCs/servicepoints that allow this information to be brought forward to the utilityoperations promote the Operating Reserves and “Negawatts” and add totheir value.

Related US Patents and Patent applications, including U.S. applicationSer. No. 13/172,389, filed Jun. 29, 2011, which is a continuation ofU.S. application Ser. No. 12/715,195, filed Mar. 1, 2010, now U.S. Pat.No. 8,032,233, which is a divisional of U.S. application Ser. No.11/895,909 filed Aug. 28, 2007, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,715,951, all ofwhich are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety; thesedocuments include descriptions of some active load management withinpower grids, and provide additional background and context for thepresent invention systems and methods.

Also, in this document, relational terms, such as “first” and “second,”“top” and “bottom,” and the like, are used solely to distinguish oneentity or element from another entity or element without necessarilyrequiring or implying any physical or logical relationship or orderbetween such entities or elements. The terms “comprises,” “comprising,”or any other variation thereof are intended to cover a non-exclusiveinclusion, such that a process, method, article, or apparatus thatcomprises a list of elements does not include only those elements, butis also able to include other elements not expressly listed or inherentto such process, method, article, or apparatus. The term “plurality of”as used in connection with any object or action means two or more ofsuch object or action. A claim element proceeded by the article “a” or“an” does not, without more constraints, preclude the existence ofadditional identical elements in the process, method, article, orapparatus that includes the element.

By way of definition and description supporting the claimed subjectmatter, preferably, the present invention includes communicationmethodologies for messaging via a communication layer. IP-basedcommunications over a network are most preferred. Correspondingly, andconsistent with the communication methodologies for messaging accordingto the present invention, as used throughout this specification, figuresand claims, the term ZIGBEE refers to any wireless communicationprotocol adopted by the Institute of Electronics & Electrical Engineers(IEEE) according to standard 802.15.4 or any successor standard(s), theterm WI-FI refers to any communication protocol adopted by the IEEEunder standard 802.11 or any successor standard(s), the term WIMAXrefers to any communication protocol adopted by the IEEE under standard802.16 or any successor standard(s), and the term BLUETOOTH refers toany short-range communication protocol implementing IEEE standard802.15.1 or any successor standard(s). Additionally or alternatively toWIMAX, other communications protocols are able to be used, including butnot limited to a “1G” wireless protocol such as analog wirelesstransmission, first generation standards based (IEEE, ITU or otherrecognized world communications standard), a “2G” standards basedprotocol such as “EDGE or CDMA 2000 also known as 1×RTT”, a 3G basedstandard such as “High Speed Packet Access (HSPA) or Evolution for DataOnly (EVDO), any accepted 4G standard such as “IEEE, ITU standards thatinclude WIMAX, Long Term Evolution “LTE” and its derivative standards,any Ethernet solution wireless or wired, or any proprietary wireless orpower line carrier standards that communicate to a client device or anycontrollable device that sends and receives an IP based message. Theterm “High Speed Packet Data Access (HSPA)” refers to any communicationprotocol adopted by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) oranother mobile telecommunications standards body referring to theevolution of the Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) standardbeyond its third generation Universal Mobile Telecommunications System(UMTS) protocols. The term “Long Term Evolution (LTE)” refers to anycommunication protocol adopted by the ITU or another mobiletelecommunications standards body referring to the evolution ofGSM-based networks to voice, video and data standards anticipated to bereplacement protocols for HSPA. The term “Code Division Multiple Access(CDMA) Evolution Date-Optimized (EVDO) Revision A (CDMA EVDO Rev. A)”refers to the communication protocol adopted by the ITU under standardnumber TIA-856 Rev. A.

It will be appreciated that embodiments of the invention describedherein are comprised of one or more conventional processors and uniquestored program instructions that control the one or more processors toimplement, in conjunction with certain non-processor circuits, some,most, or all of the functions for managing power load distribution andtracking individual subscriber power consumption and savings in one ormore power load management systems as described herein. Thenon-processor circuits include, but are not limited to, radio receivers,radio transmitters, antennas, modems, signal drivers, clock circuits,power source circuits, relays, meters, smart breakers, current sensors,and user input devices. As such, these functions are able to beinterpreted as steps of a method to distribute information and controlsignals between devices in a power load management system.Alternatively, some or all functions could be implemented by a statemachine that has no stored program instructions, or in one or moreapplication specific integrated circuits (ASICs), in which each functionor some combinations of functions are implemented as custom logic. Ofcourse, a combination of the two approaches could be used. Thus, methodsand means for these functions have been described herein. Further, it isexpected that one of ordinary skill in the art, notwithstanding possiblysignificant effort and many design choices motivated by, for example,available time, current technology, and economic considerations, whenguided by the concepts and principles disclosed herein, will be readilycapable of generating such software instructions, programs andintegrated circuits (ICs), and appropriately arranging and functionallyintegrating such non-processor circuits, without undue experimentation.

Recently, the IEEE and ITU have released improved WIMAX and Long TermEvolution wireless standards that have facilitated the consideration ofnew technologies to improve the response and control of power loadcontrol devices employing smart breaker and smart disconnect switchesthat include advanced smart meters where IP multimedia gateways areembedded or attach as separate connected printed circuit boards,submetering technologies that possess sufficient “revenue grade”metrology such that the measurements provided by these devices areaccepted for settlement purposes. The term “revenue grade” is anindustry term, as will be appreciated by one of ordinary skill in theart, a percentage of accuracy determined by ANSI, which means that powermeasurement must be within ½% of the actual value being consumed. Thus,calibration standards are provided accordingly to OEMs of powermeasuring devices and/or chips. In embodiments of the systems andmethods of the present invention, these calibration standards are metvia components including a chipset and related software, and thetransmittal of the power measurement information via IP-basedcommunications as set forth hereinabove. Baselining techniques thatprovide a reference power usage point, sampling techniques that allowfor verification of the power “state” and power consumption data forelectricity consuming devices (inductive or resistive), reactive power,Power Factor, start-up current, duty cycles, voltage, consumptionforecasts and most importantly real-time or near real time powermeasurement sampling, etc. are required to derive a Power Supply Value(PSV) that includes an American National Standards Institute (ANSI),ISO, grid operator, governing body revenue measurement, etc., which ispreferably aggregated to reach the size of at least a single Power TradeBlock (PTB) unit for the purposes of optimally monetizing the activeload management from the customer perspective. PTBs are dependent on agrid operator, regional transmission operator, or independent systemoperator to determine the capacity size (in kW or MW) or energy data in(kWH or MWH) that is able to be accepted for bidding, trading,settlement by the utility, the end consumer/customer, the marketparticipant, the CSP, demand response aggregator or any entityauthorized by the government entity that regulates grid operators suchas FERC, NERC etc. Generally due to measurement, verification,transmission and/or distribution modeling (which considers the impact tothe grid from the curtailment activities at any geodetic location on thegrid, but generally modeled by electrical bus or substation), theminimum acceptable PBT is 100 kW at the time of the present invention.This limitation is not expected to be permanent, given theseadvancements in measurement/verification, the near real time or realtime IP/Ethernet based telemetry capabilities presented by a pluralityof various communications methods as discussed in this embodiment andthe advancements in service oriented architecture based (SOA) softwareand hardware subsystems, when combined with an ALD and ALC that is ableto perform at a sublevel such that the minimum PTB is able to bedetermined at the device, home, building, service point, commercial,industrial, transformer, feeder, substation, transmission line and anysub-point along the transmission and distribution feeder system of anelectrical grid as so long as minimum telemetry, measurement,verifications, validation are met and are capable of being aggregated toa minimum PTB acceptable to the grid operator, ISO, RTO, BA or any otherincrement of grid topography used now or in the future for settlingpower block increments by sub-PTB.

Embodiments of the present invention expand upon and enhance priortechnologies by, among other things, employing WIMAX, High Speed PacketAccess (HSPA), Evolution for Data Only (EVDO), both considered 3^(rd)generation wireless standards, Long Term Evolution (LTE) and itsderivative standards, IEEE 802.11 (X) also known as WI-FI and itsderivative standards inclusive of “Muliple Input Multiple Output”(MIMO), as set forth in the communication methodologies hereinabove, aplurality of proprietary mesh and point to point communicationssolutions or any Internet Protocol (IP)-based load control in a systemwith the ability to monitor and measure, in real time or in sufficienttime increments to satisfy the telemetry performance standards asestablished by the Government or governing bodies (ex: National ElectricReliability Corporation (NERC), the Federal Energy ReliabilityCommission (FERC) the amount of power deferred, conserved or removed (orcarbon, SO₂, or NO₂ eliminated), such as by way of example the Kyoto orCopenhagen Protocols that set up carbon credits. These improvementsallow new options for electric utilities or any market participant todefer or invest in new power generation that is friendlier to theenvironment.

IP-based power management is advantageous over existing systems for manyreasons. This is particularly true for communications and control thatemploy Internet Protocol Version 6 (V6) whereby each load consumingdevice (ALC), meter, load control device, programmable thermostat (PCT),building control system or any device utilized for the measurement andcontrol of power, and/or derivation of PSV and/or PTB for the purpose ofpower management is able to have its own static IP address, virtualprivate network with enhanced security, to provide for operatingreserves acceptable to the grid regulator, operator, or equivalent.Revenue grade metrology and IP-communication of a unique identifier,such as by way of example and not limitation, a static IP address ordynamically assigned IP address through IP V4 to provide for a uniqueidentifier at that time, for each of the power consuming device(s), loadcontrol device(s), and combinations thereof are critical for thereal-time aggregation of PSVs to form at least one PTB corresponding tothe load curtailment event. Thus, every piece of hardware having an IMEI(international manufacturer equipment identifier) and electronic serialnumbers or MAC address are combinable with IP V6 so that each device hasa unique identifier that provides for enhanced security and settlement.Other well established methods of secure transmission include the use ofencryption “keys” widely used amongst the transmission of informationbetween two IP based or proprietary solutions for the securecommunication of PSVs, PBTs, equipment identifiers, “states”, or anyother grid stabilizing command, control or status message necessary toimplement advanced load curtailment, load resources, or demand responsefor purposes of creating or aggregating individual load sources, groupsof load sources, or any sub increment to create Operating Reserves andother grid stabilizing reserves that improve grid stability andoperation.

For example, positive control allows a system controller to receive aresponse from an end device installed at a customer location, whichindicates that the actual target device has turned “off” or “on”, orreduced, as in the case of a variable speed inductive device or avariable power consuming resistive device whereby complete operation isnot interrupted but power consumption is reduced to create the operatingreserve via curtailment of some but not all of the power from the powerconsuming device. Additionally, each equipment identifier is unique andeach IP address is either dynamically assigned when the device isactivated (e.g., through use of the dynamic host configuration protocol(DHCP)) or statically assigned by the serving IP network, therebyproviding enhanced security to protect against an act of randomterrorism or sabotage inadvertently shutting down power services.Existing power management systems, including those utilizing radiosubsystems that operate in unlicensed and uncontrolled spectrum bandssuch as the FCC is in bands, do not address security problems adequatelyand thus are more likely susceptible to hostile or malicious acts.Further embodiments of these identifiers include the use of MACaddresses, standards based encryption keys, and the normal encryptiontechnologies that are inherent with the use of standards basedcommunications methods such as HSPA, EVDO and LTE where packets areencrypted from the point they leave the radio base station or in somecases the router and even the application layer itself. Furtherembodiments include Virtual Private Network (VPN) and VPN tunnels thatform virtual physical layer connections via an IP transport layer.

IP-based systems are also bandwidth or network efficient. For example,IP devices are controlled via the 7-layer Open Systems Interconnection(OSI) model whereby the payload of each packet is able to contain amessage or “change in state” or any other message required in theprevious embodiments for purposes of stabilizing, statusing and thecreation of Operating Reserves for an electric grid or microgrid anddoes not require synchronous communication. This method of transmission(for example “UDP” communications) allows for very minimum overhead andlow data rates on a broadband network. For proprietary ‘mesh” networkswhose bandwidth performance is very poor and an IP message isencapsulated in a proprietary data packet that is able to containencryption, an efficient asynchronous communication method is often theonly way to send out a plurality of messages and message type forcommand and control or status reporting. Additionally, IP devices areable to report many states that are important to an electric gridoperator, market participant. These states supply compliance informationnecessary for the entity to receive command and control to insure thesafe and reliable operation of the grid, but are also necessary formeasurement, verification, telemetry, settlement and Power Supply Valuesto provide the information needed to comply with the grid operator'sstandards to deliver Operating Reserves or any Demand response productswhere the end results improve grid stability and will allow theconsumer, utility, market participant, REP, CSP etc. to receive monetarycompensation for supplying these products as contemplated in FERC Order745. These commands, including “no power” for outage or for simpledemand response compliance measured and verified at the device level,the meter level, the electrical bus level or a plurality of all theabove. Furthermore these commands are aggregated and presented to thegrid operator or utility so that “many” end points are able to besimultaneously operated as one resource and responsive to an EMS. Forexample, the active load client 300 is able to be implemented with abattery backup mechanism 62 to provide backup or auxiliary power to theactive load client 300 when AC power is lost. In this case, when batterybackup is invoked, the active load client 300 is able to report a “nopower” condition. Alternatively, a “no power” condition is assumed if anactive load client 300 fails to timely respond to a message (e.g., apoll or other message) from the ALD server 100, particularly wheremultiple active load clients 300 in a geographic area fail to timelyrespond to the ALD server messaging or multiple UDP packets receive noacknowledgement. Because the geographic location of each customerpremises and active load client 300 is known at the time of installationor thereafter (e.g., using GPS coordinates), such network outages areoften located on a per meter basis, or per load consuming device basis.

A multiplicity of use cases for communications is provided under thesystems and methods of the present invention. Messaging under thepresent invention includes any and all commands, queries, etc. thatrelate to the profiles of the devices, “health” of the grid, statusinformation, etc. Profiles automatically drive what is started, when,for controlled restart, rather than only controlled restart commanded bythe utility; the present invention provides for either the profilesand/or the utility to communicate for command and control, in particularfor providing for grid stability.

Further embodiment allows the ALD server to provide prior to the loss ofcommunication or power a set of profiles or commands to be executed atthe ALC level such that they operate autonomously providing theoperating reserves that the grid operator or utility desires, storingthe measurement and verification information for transmittal later, orin the case of a power loss, very precise “re-start” procedures suchthat the simultaneous impact of a power restoration from a grid operatordoes not have the adverse effect of overloading the generation anddistribution system. These embodiments of a “controlled restart” alsoapply to a Customer Profile where the most mission critical devices at aconsumer location are prioritized, known to the utility via a PowerSupply Value and other load characteristics such as power factor,voltage, current, reactive power or any other grid stabilizing metricthat is reported historically by the ALC such that the grid operator ORthe customer is able to use these autonomous profiles, autonomous ALCsand memory in same to create “microgrids” that autonomously operateindependent of the macro-grid operator and provide grid stabilizing loadresources to those consumers that are isolated via the microgrid whereother supply sources that are able to power and operate the microgrideither under the operation of a computer controlled system and apparatusor a separate utility or microgrid operator exists and operateautonomously until communication with a host ALD is re-established.

One of the most beneficial advantages of an IP-based power managementsystem, as provided in one embodiment of the present invention, isaccurate reporting of the actual amount of power available for thecreation of Operating Reserves via a distinct PSV value at the time thereserves are needed, a forecast of Power available via the customerprofiles due to a plurality of methods that include known “expected”behavior of customer and load consuming devices, the baseline methodspreviously described, and the ability to allocate different types ofoperating reserves based upon the Grid Operator, CSP, MP, Utility, andequivalent's needs at the given condition of the grid as well as powersaved by each customer on an individual basis. Embodiments of thepresent invention monitor and calculate precisely how many kilowatts (orcarbon credits) are being generated or saved per customer instead ofmerely providing an estimate. These values are stored in a Power SupplyValue (PSV), wherein the historical consumption, the real timeconsumption, the baseline consumption data as provided by standardssupplied by the governing body (NAESBY, FERC, NERC) establish the PSVthat is used for transmitting via the IP message the informationnecessary for grid stabilizing operating reserves. Furthermore,embodiments of the present invention provide means for tracking theactual amount of deferred load and pollutants according to generationmix, serving utility and geographic area. These deferred pollutants arerecognized as “Renewable Energy Credits” as exemplified by the recentlypassed North Carolina Law known as Senate Bill 567, where these PSVderived “Negawatts” count towards a generating and distributingutilities obligations for supplying renewable energy as a percentage oftheir total generation mix. According to the present invention, ifdevice curtailment is measured, verified, settled within the parametersestablished, then utility is able to accept the supply that would havebeen available in the case of curtailment event, then renewable energycredits are available to the consumer/device, i.e., megawatts equalrenewable energy credits.

The present invention provides systems and methods for managing powersupplied over an electric power grid by an electric utility and/or othermarket participants to multiple power consuming devices, each of whichhaving a Power Supply Value (PSV) associated with its energy consumptionand/or reduction in consumption. Preferably, according the systems andmethods of the present invention, generation of the PSV includesestimating and/or baselining. Furthermore, PSV applications for carboncredits are able to be geodetically dependent, measured, or computedbased upon electricity consumed from a source; for carbon credits, PSVis then based upon fossil fuel electricity eliminated throughefficiency, reduction and baselining, provided that the PSV ismeasurable and verifiable.

Power flow to the power consuming devices is selectively enabled,reduced and disabled by one or more controllable devices controlled bythe client device measured with PSV accuracies that are able to berecognized by the governing bodies within revenue grade metrology suchthat the ALC becomes in essence a sub-meter with PSV values that is ableto report over the IP connection a plurality of states necessary forgrid stability and control over each ALC via the ALD such that eachdistribution point on the grid is stabilized at each point of thedistribution or transmission system to effect grid stabilizationholistically rather than reacting to conditions as they occur. Powercontrol messages from a controlling server indicate amounts of electricpower to be reduced and/or Operating Reserves to be created and anidentification of at least one controllable device to be instructed todisable, reduce or consume more a flow of electric power to one or moreassociated power consuming devices depending on the type of OperatingReserves needed at the time of activation by the ALD through the IPconnection to the associated ALC to create the desired Operating Reserveor grid stabilizing reserves. Notably, the power control commandsinclude a power inquiry command requesting the server to determine anamount of electric power available (PSV) for temporary reduction orincrease from supply or adding to supply (for example, Auto Reg up forregulating reserves/Reg Down) by a requesting electric utility, marketparticipant or electric power grid operator(s) and wherein the commandprocessor issues an associated power control event message responsive tothe power inquiry command, the server further comprising: a databasethat stores current power usage information for the at least oneelectric utility or electric power grid operator(s), wherein the eventmanager accesses the utility database responsive to receipt of theassociated power control event message and communicates a response tothe power inquiry command indicating the amount of power available fortemporary reduction based on the current power usage information and thecorresponding Power Supply Value derived or generated therefrom. Thispolling command also functions as an “alert” to provide the powerconsuming device via the ALC to report the PSV, state, reactive power,voltage, current, or any other grid stabilizing metric to the ALD suchthat the ALD is able to, by electrical bus, by regional transmissionorganization, by Balancing Authority, by microgrid, by individualconsumer or by individual transformer or any other system at any pointon the distribution system of the grid or microgrid a plurality ofinformation such that the ALD is able to prioritize the order, the typeof curtailment, reduction in power or profile to effect to stabilize thegrid or microgrid or to supply the utility, REP, market participant, CSPor other an instantaneous and accurate snapshot of the availableresource for dispatch and to prepare the ALC to look for a prioritymessage delivered via an IP flag or specially formatted message so thatthe message combined with the Alert has the grid stabilizing effect.Thus, the present invention systems and methods provide for creation ofthe grid stability product and/or operating reserve; messaging is usedfor status, grid “health”, down to device level.

In preferred embodiments of the present invention, operating reservemessages are prioritized over network, including over other traffic onthe network. Furthermore, priority messaging is further includes so thaton standards-based or proprietary communications networks that havesufficient speed, measurement (PSV) and are responsive to an EMS thathave network priority over other packets, such that emergency and/orcritical infrastructure protection power management commands receivepriority over any other power control commands, to transmit thosemessages over other non-critical traffic.

In one embodiment of the present invention, a system for managing poweron an electric power grid that is constructed and configured forsupplying and receiving power from a multiplicity of sources, where thepower flows to a plurality of power consuming devices or is generated bya plurality of power generation and storage solutions that are enabledand disabled by a plurality of controllable devices, wherein the systemincludes: a server comprising a command processor operable to receive orinitiate power control commands and issue power control event messagesresponsive thereto, at least one of the power control commands requiringa reduction or increase [more detail for regulating reserves here] in anamount of electric power consumed by the plurality of power consumingdevices; an event manager operable to receive the power control eventmessages, maintain at least one power management status relating to eachclient device and issue power control event instructions responsive tothe power control event messages that are initiated from a marketparticipant, a utility, or an electric grid operator; a database forstoring, information relating to power consumed by the plurality ofpower consuming devices and based upon the amount of power to be reducedto each of the power consuming devices, generating a first power supplyvalue (PSV); and a client device manager operably coupled to the eventmanager and the database, the client device manager selecting from thedatabase, based on the information stored in the database, at least oneclient device to which to issue a power control message indicating atleast one of an amount of electric power to be reduced or increased andidentification of at least one controllable device to be instructed todisable a flow of electric power to one or more associated powerconsuming devices responsive to receipt of a power control eventinstruction requiring a reduction in a specified amount of electricpower; the plurality of controllable device and corresponding deviceinterfaces facilitating communication of power control instructions tothe controllable devices, the power control instructions causing the atleast one controllable device to selectively enable and disable a flowof power to the power consuming device(s); and a device control manageroperably coupled to the controllable device interfaces for issuing apower control instruction to the controllable devices through thecontrollable device interfaces, responsive to the received power controlmessage, the power control instruction causing the controllabledevice(s) to disable a flow of electric power to at least one associatedpower consuming device for reducing consumed power, and based upon thereduction in consumed power, generating a second power supply value(PSV) corresponding to the reduction in consumed power.

This embodiment further includes a combination of a processor, database,event manager, preferences manager and market conditions to includeprice of electric power, grid stabilization events and location ofcustomer relative to the grid operator's generation, transmission, anddistribution elements that effect a change on the electric grid by achange in the power consuming devices utilizes some or all of theinformation provided by the grid operator, market participant, orutility to automatically or manually through a plurality ofcommunications methods (smart phone, computer, text response, phonemessage) elect to curtail or consume power to effect a change to thenormal operation of a plurality of power consuming power devices inexchange for credits, economic/monetary incentives, rewards programs, orcarbon/green credits. This provides that a customer receives a real timeor near real time signal from a grid operator that alerts them to aneconomic event that allows them to make substantial compensation forcurtailing or accepting power at that minimum time interval for bothreporting and responding as established by the governing entity. This isreal-time pricing for grid stress/stabilization or very high commoditypricing.

Preferably, market pricing conditions via a customer profile that areable to be loaded to a smart phone or moreover a profile that automatedcontrols based upon previously selected economic messages.

Embodiments of the present invention include an exemplary system forsupporting a serving utility or power distributor (e.g., such as amunicipality, electric cooperative, or any other wholesale or retailproducer of electric power, and/or any market participant associatedwith electric power consumption, reduction of consumption, and/orsupply, and combinations thereof), methods for providing continuous,real time active power control in the system, and a method fordetermining how much actual load is able to be controlled at any giventime for the purposes of conservation, alternative power generation andthe creation of carbon (and other gaseous emissions) credits, which areall under the authority of grid operator, governing authority, orequivalent, and based upon corresponding regulations such as by way ofexample and not limitation FERC, NERC, etc.

Additional embodiments of the present invention provide a system thatimplements the exemplary methods through the unique use of loadinformation, location of customers consuming electricity, changes instate of controlled devices, current sensing, customer setpoints/preferences and artificial intelligence (e.g., as implementedthrough software) to optimize the presentation of load available to theserving utility for control.

Generally, the embodiments disclosed in the present invention aredirected towards the real time (active) control of residential andcommercial electrical devices that generally are 240V or less. However,specific features and functions are also applicable to larger commercialinstallations that are greater than 240V. The description herein isintended to provide a practical implementation of real time loadmanagement for either voluntary or involuntary participants over largegeographies and ideally for many serving electrical power producers,wholesalers or distributors. The exemplary methods and systems disclosedin the present invention are able to be implemented by an individualutility provider, or a third party monitoring service that tracks andmanages power loading for one or more utilities. This applicationdescribes the necessary methods and generally describes softwaresubsystems for both a host function (e.g., an active load director (ALD)server) and a companion active load client (ALC).

One embodiment of the present invention controls power distribution fora variety of electric utility companies or any other electric power gridoperator(s) by actively monitoring the amount of power needed by eachutility and supplying the required power by redirecting power fromparticipating customers. In this embodiment, customers agree to allowthe power management system to disable certain power-consuming devicesduring peak loading times of the day. Smart breakers, load controlswitches (submetering ALCs) or any other device that is able to beinterfaced or added within an electric consuming device or added at thepoint where the electric consuming devices receives power from a wallsocket or any other electrical connection which have the ability to beswitched on or off remotely, are installed for specific devices in anelectric service control panel accessed by a known IP address.Alternatively, IP-addressable smart appliances are able to be used. Thepower management system determines the amount of steady-state power eachdevice consumes when turned on and logs the information in a databasefor each subscriber. For example, a current sensor on each smartappliance or within each smart breaker or power measurement circuit thatis incorporated in the device that serves as a de-facto ALC withmetrology sufficient to be accepted as a PSV for aggregation to the ALDfor the creation of Operating Reserves is able to measure the amount ofcurrent consumed by each monitored device. An active load client thenmultiplies the amount of current consumed by the operating voltage ofthe device to obtain the power consumption, and transmits the powerconsumption to the ALD server. When the serving utility needs more powerthan it is currently able to supply, the power load management systemautomatically adjusts the power distribution by turning off or reducingspecific loads on an individual device or subscriber basis. Because theamount of power consumed by each specific load is known via the PSV andaggregated via the PBT, the system is able to determine precisely whichloads to turn off or reduce and tracks the power savings generated byeach customer as a result of this short-term outage.

Furthermore, based upon the reduction in consumed power, the systems andmethods of the present invention provide for generating at the controlcenter a power supply value (PSV) corresponding to the reduction inconsumed power by the power consuming device(s). Importantly, the PSV isan actual value that includes measurement and verification of thereduction in consumed power; such measurement and verification methodsare determined by the appropriate governing body or authority for theelectric power grid(s). Power Supply Value (PSV) is calculated at themeter or submeter or at building control system or at any device orcontroller that measures power within the standard as supplied by theregulatory body(ies) that govern the regulation of the grid. PSVvariations frequently depend on operating tolerances, operating standardfor accuracy of the measurement. PSV further includes forecasting,statistical sampling, baselining, and combinations thereof. The PSVenables transformation of curtailment or reduction in power at thedevice level by any system that sends or receives an IP message to berelated to or equated to supply as presented to the governing entitythat accepts these values and award supply equivalence, for example of apower generating entity or an entity allowed to control power consumingdevices as permitted by the governing body of the electric power grid,e.g., FERC, NERC, etc.

PSV is provided in units of capacity, demand, electrical power flow,time, monetary equivalent, and combinations thereof. Thus, the PSVprovides an actual value that is confirmed by measurement and/orverification, thereby providing for a curtailment value as a requirementfor providing supply to the power grid, wherein the supply to the powerelectric power grid is provided for grid stability, voltage stability,reliability, and combinations thereof, and is further provided asresponsive to an energy management system or equivalent for providinggrid stability, reliability, frequency as determined by governingauthority for the electric power grid and/or grid operator(s).

The present invention is able to be more readily understood withreference to the Figures. FIG. 13 provides a schematic diagramillustrating components including ALD, ALC, and IP communications fordistributed grid intelligence within systems of the present invention.

Smart grid configurations are preferred under systems and methods of thepresent invention. By way of example, consider embodiments in FIGS.14-16 , which provide schematic diagrams that illustrate smart grid withdecentralized networks according to systems and methods of the presentinvention.

FIG. 17A shows a schematic diagram for supply from utility, marketparticipant, CSP, and/or REP, ALD/cloud layer, ICCP, control anddispatch, and microgrid enablement according to systems and methods ofthe present invention.

As set forth hereinabove, the present invention provides systems andmethods for generating operating reserves for an electric power grid.Correspondingly, FIG. 18 provides a graphic illustration of operatingreserves categories and base load; FIG. 19 is a schematic diagramrepresenting operating reserves for supply side generation of electricpower for a grid, ALD, ALC, power consuming devices, and othercomponents of the systems and methods of the present invention forgenerating operating reserves of different categories.

FIG. 20 is a schematic diagram showing one embodiment of the presentinvention including power consuming devices, control devices, ALC, ALD,customer profile 92, IP communication network, and grid telemetrycomponents of systems and methods of the present invention.

FIG. 21A is a schematic diagram showing one embodiment of the presentinvention including EMS, power consuming devices, control devices, ALC,ALD, customer profile, IP communication network, and grid telemetrycomponents of systems and methods of the present invention. In anotherillustration, FIG. 21B shows a schematic diagram for one embodiment ofthe present invention including EMS, power consuming devices, controldevices, ALC, ALD, customer profile, IP communication network, and gridtelemetry components of systems and methods of the present invention.

FIG. 22 is a table of consumer-adjustable parameters as examples forsystems and methods components according to the present invention. FIG.23 is a flow diagram illustrating method steps for energy-consumingdevices and the generation of power supply value (PSV) for thosedevices, according to embodiments of the present invention, includinglearning profile. Furthermore, FIG. 26 shows a flow diagram for methodsof the present invention for calculating the time period forenvironmentally dependent and independent devices and determining orgenerating power supply value (PSV) for those power-consuming devices.

By way of example, for temperature or environmental-factor controllingdevices as power consuming devices, FIG. 24 provides a graph showing atleast three (3) dimensions for factors associated with load consumptionand devices managing temperature control for corresponding powerconsuming devices, including the change in factors over time. FIG. 25 isa graph showing first, second, and additional standard deviations of forthe chart of drift versus time, for use with the systems and methods ofthe present invention. When the ALD is automatically considering loadcurtailment, preferably a search algorithm provides the most loadagainst the least amount of consumers impacted. Based upon the thermaldrift of structures, additional structures are identified and selected,to provide required curtailment for grid stability. Each structure hasits own factors, as illustrated in FIG. 24 . Thus, the ALD selects andprovides instructions to the ALCs and/or power consuming devices basedupon profiles and attributes. Preferably, the system stores in memory onthe server computer associated with the database for storing informationrelating to the energy management system and its various componentsdescribed in the specification, identification of the last powerconsuming device(s) used for satisfying a load curtailment event, andautomatically shifts their categorization for the ALD for purposes ofselection for the next curtailment event.

Additionally, the following figures, in which like reference numeralsdesignate like items. FIG. 27 depicts an exemplary IP-based active powerload management system 10 in accordance with one embodiment of thepresent invention. The exemplary power management system 10 monitors andmanages power distribution via an active load director (ALD) server 100connected between one or more utility control centers (UCCs) 200 (oneshown) and one or more active load clients (ALCs) 300 (one shown). TheALD server 100 communicates with the utility control center 200 and eachactive load client 300 either directly or through a network 80 using theInternet Protocol (IP) or any other connection-based protocols. Forexample, the ALD server 100 communicates using RF systems operating viaone or more base stations 90 (one shown) using one or more wirelesscommunication protocols, such as Global System for Mobile communications(GSM), Enhanced Data GSM Environment (EDGE), High Speed Packet Access(HSDPA), Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA), or Code Division MultipleAccess data standards, including CDMA 2000, CDMA Revision A, and CDMARevision B. Alternatively, or additionally, the ALD server 100communicates via a digital subscriber line (DSL) capable connection,cable television based IP capable connection, or any combinationthereof. In the exemplary embodiment shown in FIG. 1 , the ALD server100 communicates with one or more active load clients 300 using acombination of traditional IP-based communication (e.g., over a trunkedline) to a base station 90 and a wireless channel implementing the WIMAXprotocol for the “last mile” from the base station 90 to the active loadclient 300.

Each active load client 300 is accessible through a specified address(e.g., IP address) and controls and monitors the state of individualsmart breaker modules or intelligent appliances 60 installed in thebusiness or residence 20 to which the active load client 300 isassociated (e.g., connected or supporting). Each active load client 300is associated with a single residential or commercial customer. In oneembodiment, the active load client 300 communicates with a residentialload center 400 that contains smart breaker modules, which are able toswitch from an “ON” (active) state to an “OFF” (inactive), and viceversa, responsive to signaling from the active load client 300. Smartbreaker modules include, for example, smart breaker panels manufacturedby Schneider Electric SA under the trademark “Square D” or EatonCorporation under the trademark “Cutler-Hammer” for installation duringnew construction. For retro-fitting existing buildings, smart breakershaving means for individual identification and control are used.Typically, each smart breaker controls a single appliance and is able tobe embedded in circuits or individual appliances or appliance controlsor appliance control devices, whether internal to the device housing, orexternal thereto (e.g., a washer/dryer 30, a hot water heater 40, anHVAC unit 50, or a pool pump 70).

Additionally, the active load client 300 controls individual smartappliances directly (e.g., without communicating with the residentialload center 300) via one or more of a variety of known communicationprotocols (e.g., IP, Broadband over PowerLine (BPL) in its variousforms, including through specifications promulgated or being developedby the HOMEPLUG Powerline Alliance and the IEEE, Ethernet, BLUETOOTH,ZIGBEE, WI-FI, WIMAX, etc.). Typically, a smart appliance 60 includes apower control module (not shown) having communication abilities. Thepower control module is installed in-line with the power supply to theappliance, between the actual appliance and the power source (e.g., thepower control module is plugged into a power outlet at the home orbusiness and the power cord for the appliance is plugged into the powercontrol module). Thus, when the power control module receives a commandto turn off the appliance 60, it disconnects the actual power supplyingthe appliance 60. Alternatively, a smart appliance 60 includes a powercontrol module integrated directly into the appliance, which receivescommands and control the operation of the appliance directly (e.g., asmart thermostat performs such functions as raising or lowering the settemperature, switching an HVAC unit on or off, or switching a fan on oroff).

Referring now to FIG. 28 , the ALD server 100 serves as the primaryinterface to customers, as well as to service personnel. In theexemplary embodiment depicted in FIG. 28 , the ALD server 100 includes autility control center (UCC) security interface 102, a UCC commandprocessor 104, a master event manager 106, an ALC manager 108, an ALCsecurity interface 110, an ALC interface 112, a web browser interface114, a customer sign-up application 116, customer personal settings 138,a customer reports application 118, a power savings application 120, anALC diagnostic manager 122, an ALD database 124, a service dispatchmanager 126, a trouble ticket generator 128, a call center manager 130,a carbon savings application 132, a utility P & C database 134, a readmeter application 136, and a security device manager 140.

Using the web browser interface 114, in one embodiment, customersinteract with the ALD server 100 and subscribe to some or all of theservices offered by the power load management system 10 via a customersign-up application 116. In accordance with the customer sign-upapplication 116, the customer specifies customer personal settings 138that contain information relating to the customer and the customer'sresidence or business, and defines the extent of service to which thecustomer wishes to subscribe. Additional details of the customer sign-upapplication 116 are discussed below. Customers also are able to use theweb browser interface 114 to access and modify information pertaining totheir existing accounts or information pertaining to their loadconsuming devices (by way of example and not limitation, the informationincludes consumption, efficiency, and the like).

The ALD server 100 also includes a UCC security interface 102 whichprovides security and encryption between the ALD server 100 and autility company's control center 200 to ensure that no third party isable to provide unauthorized directions to the ALD server 100. A UCCcommand processor 104 receives and sends messages between the ALD server100 and the utility control center 200. Similarly, an ALC securityinterface 110 provides security and encryption between the ALD server100 and each active load client 300 on the system 10, ensuring that nothird parties are able to send directions to, or receive informationfrom, the active load client 300. The security techniques employed bythe ALC security interface 110 and the UCC security interface 102includes conventional symmetric key or asymmetric key algorithms, suchas Wireless Encryption Protocol (WEP), WI-FI Protected Access (WPA andWPA2), Advanced Encryption Standard (AES), Pretty Good Privacy (PGP), orproprietary encryption techniques or embodiments approved by thegoverning bodies pertaining to critical infrastructure protection (CIP).

In one embodiment, the commands that are able to be received by the UCCcommand processor 104 from the electric utility's control center 200include a “Cut” command, or reduce command, a “How Much” command, orPSV, PBTY, priority-based command, an “End Event” command, and a “ReadMeters” command. The “Cut” command instructs the ALD server 100 toreduce a specified amount of power for a specified amount of time. Thespecified amount of power is either able to be an instantaneous amountof power or an average amount of power consumed per unit of time. The“Cut” command also optionally indicate general geographic areas orspecific locations for power load reduction. The “How Much” commandrequests information for the amount of power (e.g., in megawatts, and/orPSV by PTB) that is able to be reduced by the requesting utility controlcenter 200. The “End Event” command stops the present ALD server 100transaction. The “Read Meters” command instructs the ALD server 100 toread the meters for all customers serviced by the requesting utility.

The UCC command processor 104 sends a response to a “How Much” commandor an “Event Ended” status confirmation to a utility control center 200.A response to a “How Much” command returns an amount of power,particularly relating to PSV and/or PTB, that is able to be cut orreduced. An “Event Ended” acknowledgement message confirms that thepresent ALD server transaction has ended.

The master event manager 106 maintains the overall status of the powerload activities controlled by the power management system 10. The masterevent manager 106 maintains a separate state for each utility that iscontrolled and tracks the current power usage within each utility. Themaster event manager 106 also tracks the management condition of eachutility (e.g., whether or not each utility is currently being managed).The master event manager 106 receives instructions in the form oftransaction requests from the UCC command processor 104 and routesinstructions to components necessary to complete the requestedtransaction, such as the ALC manager 108 and the power savingsapplication 120.

The ALC manager 108 routes instructions between the ALD server 100 andeach active load client 300 within the system 10 through an ALCinterface 112. For instance, the ALC manager 108 tracks the state ofevery active load client 300 serviced by specified utilities, gridoperators and/or market participants, by communicating with the activeload client 300 through an individual IP address. The ALC interface 112translates instructions (e.g., transactions) received from the ALCmanager 108 into the proper message structure understood by the targetedactive load client 300 and then sends the message to the active loadclient 300. Likewise, when the ALC interface 112 receives messages froman active load client 300, it translates the message into a formunderstood by the ALC manager 108 and routes the translated message tothe ALC manager 108.

The ALC manager 108 receives from each active load client 300 that itservices, either periodically or responsive to polling messages sent bythe ALC manager 108, messages containing the present power consumption,PSV, PTB, and combinations thereof, and the status (e.g., “ON” or “OFF”or state) of each device controlled by the active load client 300.Alternatively, if individual device metering is not available, then thetotal power consumption via PSV, and load management status for theentire active load client 300 is reported. The information contained ineach status message is stored in the ALD database 124 in a recordassociated with the specified active load client 300. The ALD database124 contains all the information necessary to manage every customeraccount and power distribution. In one embodiment, the ALD database 124contains customer contact information, such as names, addresses, phonenumbers, email addresses, and associated utility or market participantcompanies for all customers having active load clients 300 installed attheir residences or businesses, as well as a description of specificoperating instructions for each managed device (e.g., IP-addressablesmart breaker, load control ALC, or appliance), device status, anddevice diagnostic history.

There are several types of messages that the ALC manager 108 receivesfrom an active load client 300 and processes accordingly. One suchmessage is a security alert message. A security alert message originatesfrom an optional security or safety monitoring system installed in theresidence or business and coupled to the active load client 300 (e.g.,wirelessly or via a wired connection). When a security alert message isreceived, the ALC manager 108 accesses the ALD database 124 to obtainrouting information for determining where to send the alert, and thensends the alert as directed. For example, the ALD manager 108 isprogrammed to send the alert or another message (e.g., an electronicmail message or a pre-recorded voice message) to a security monitoringservice company and/or the owner of the residence or business.

Another message communicated between an active load client 300 and theALC manager 108 is a report trigger message. A report trigger messagealerts the ALD server 100 that a predetermined amount of power, PSV,PTB, and combinations thereof has been consumed by a specific devicemonitored by an active load client 300. When a report trigger message isreceived from an active load client 300, the ALC manager 108 logs theinformation contained in the message in the ALD database 124 for thecustomer associated with the information-supplying active load client300. The power consumption information, including PSV, PTB, andcombinations thereof, is then used by the ALC manager 108 to determinethe active load client(s) 300 to which to send a power reduction or“Cut” or reduce message during a power reduction event to satisfy theoperating reserve requirement.

Yet another message exchanged between an active load client 300 and theALC manager 108 is a status response message. A status response messagereports the type and status of each device controlled by the active loadclient 300 to the ALD server 100. When a status response message isreceived from an active load client 300, the ALC manager 108 logs theinformation contained in the message in the ALD database 124.

In one embodiment, upon receiving instructions (e.g., a “Cut” or reduceinstruction) from the master event manager 106 to reduce powerconsumption for a specified utility, the ALC manager 108 determineswhich active load clients 300 and/or individually controlled devices toswitch to the “OFF” or reduced state based upon present powerconsumption data stored in the ALD database 124, and in combination withcustomer interface. The ALC manager 108 then sends a message to eachselected active load client 300 containing instructions to turn off orreduce all or some of the devices under the active load client's (ALC's)control.

In another embodiment, a power savings application 120 is optionallyincluded to calculate the total amount of power saved by each utility ormarket participant during a power reduction event (referred to herein asa “Cut event” or “reduce event”), as well as the amount of power saved,PSV, PTB, and combinations for each customer whose active load client300 reduced the amount of power delivered, PSV, PTB, and combinationsthereof, and matched against a baseline stored at either the ALC and/orALD. The power savings application 120 accesses the data stored in theALD database 124 for each customer serviced by a particular utility andstores the total cumulative power savings, or PSV (e.g., in megawattsper hour, or kWH/MWH) accumulated by each utility for each Cut or reduceevent, i.e., curtailment or load control event, in which the utilityparticipated as an entry in the utility Power and Carbon (“P&C”)database 134.

In a further embodiment, an optional carbon savings application 132 usesthe information produced by the power savings application 120, includingPSV, PTB, and combinations, to determine the amount of carbon saved byeach utility and by each customer for every Cut or reduce event. Carbonsavings information (e.g., type of fuel that was used to generate powerfor the customer set that was included in the just completed event,power, PSV, PTB, and/or combinations saved in the prior event,governmental standard calculation rates, and/or other data, such asgeneration mix per serving utility and geography of the customer'slocation and the location of the nearest power source) is stored in theALD database 124 for each active load client 300 (customer) and in theutility P&C database 134 for each utility. The carbon savingsapplication 132 calculates the total equivalent carbon credits saved foreach active load client 300 (customer) and utility participating in theprevious Cut or reduce event, and stores the information in the ALDdatabase 124 and the utility P&C database 134, respectively.

Additionally, the ALC manager 108 automatically provides for smoothoperation of the entire power load management system 10 by optionallyinteracting with a service dispatch manager 126. For example, when a newcustomer subscribes to participate in the power load management system10, the service dispatch manager 126 is notified of the new subscriptionfrom the customer sign-up application 116. The service dispatch manager126 then sends an activation request to the ALC manager 108. Uponreceiving the activation request from the service dispatch manager 126,the ALC manager 108 sends a query request for information to the newactive load client 300 and, upon receipt of the information, provides itto the service dispatch manager 126. Additionally, if at any time theALC manager 108 detects that a particular active load client 300 is notfunctioning properly, the ALC manager 108 sends a request for service tothe service dispatch manager 126 to arrange for a service call tocorrect the problem. The ALCs and/or load consuming devicesautomatically discover and/or join a network of ALC devices,automatically add customer profile(s).

In another embodiment, the service dispatch manager 126 also receivesrequests for service from a call center manager 130 that providessupport to an operations center (not shown), which receives telephonecalls from customers of the power load management system 10. When acustomer calls the operations center to request service, the call centermanager 130 logs the service call in the ALD database 124 and sends a“Service” transaction message to the service dispatch manager 126. Whenthe service call has been completed, the call center manager 130receives a completed notification from the service dispatch manager 126and records the original service call as “closed” in the ALD database124.

In yet another embodiment, the service dispatch manager 126 alsoinstructs an ALC diagnostic manager 122 to perform a series ofdiagnostic tests for any active load client 300 for which the servicedispatch manager 126 has received a service request. After the ALCdiagnostic manager 122 has performed the diagnostic procedure, itreturns the results to the service dispatch manager 126. The servicedispatch manager 126 then invokes a trouble ticket generator 128 toproduce a report (e.g., trouble ticket) that includes information (someof which was retrieved by the service dispatch manager 126 from the ALDdatabase 124) pertaining to the required service (e.g., customer name,address, any special consideration for accessing the necessaryequipment, and the results of the diagnostic process). A residentialcustomer service technician then uses the information provided in thetrouble ticket to select the type of equipment and replacement partsnecessary for performing a service call.

A read meter application 136 is optionally invoked when the UCC commandprocessor 104 receives a “Read Meters” or equivalent command from theutility control center 200. The read meter application 136 cyclesthrough the ALD database 124 and sends a read meter message or commandto each active load client 300, or those active load clients 300specifically identified in the UCC's command, via the ALC manager 108.The information received by the ALC manager 108 from the active loadclient 300 is logged in the ALD database 124 for each customer. When allthe active load client meter information has been received, theinformation is sent to the requesting utility control center 200 using abusiness to business (e.g., ebXML) or other desired protocol, or otherprotocols established by ANSI or governing body related to the grid.

The optional security device management block 140 includes programinstructions for handling security system messages received by thesecurity interface 110. The security device management block 140includes routing information for all security system messages andfurther includes messaging options on a per customer or service companybasis. For example, one security service requires an email alert fromthe ALD server 100 upon the occurrence of a security event; whereas,another security service requires that the message sent from thein-building system be passed on by the active load client 300 and theALD server 100 directly to the security service company.

In a further embodiment, the ALD server 100 also includes a customerreports application 118 that generates reports to be sent to individualcustomers detailing the amount of power saved, PSV, PTB, and/orcombinations, including against a baseline, during a previous billingcycle. Each report is able to contain a cumulative total of powersavings over the prior billing cycle, details of the amount of powersaved per controlled device (e.g., breaker or appliance), power savingsfrom utility directed events, power savings from customer directedevents, devices being managed, total carbon equivalents used and savedduring the period, and/or specific details for each Cut or curtailmentor reduce event in which the customer's active load client 300participated. Customers also receive incentives and awards forparticipation in the power load management system 10 through a customerrewards program 150. For example, the utilities or a third party systemoperator are able to enter into agreements with product and/or serviceproviders to offer system participants discounts on products andservices offered by the providers based upon certain participationlevels or milestones. The rewards program 150 is setup in a mannersimilar to conventional frequent flyer programs in which points areaccumulated for power saved (e.g., one point for each megawatt saved ordeferred) and, upon accumulation of predetermined levels of points, thecustomer is able to select a product or service discount. Alternatively,a serving utility offers a customer a rate discount for participating inthe system 10.

FIG. 29 illustrates a schematic diagram of an exemplary active loadclient 300 in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention.The depicted active load client 300 includes a Linux-based operatingsystem 302, a status response generator 304, a smart breaker modulecontroller 306, a smart device interface 324, a communications interface308, a security interface 310, an IP-based communication converter 312,a device control manager 314, a smart breaker (B1-BN) counter manager316, a report trigger application 318, an IP router 320, a smart meterinterface 322, a security device interface 328, and an IP deviceinterface 330. The active load client 300, in this embodiment, is acomputer or processor-based system located on-site at a customer'sresidence or business. The primary function of the active load client300 is to manage the power load levels of controllable devices locatedat the residence or business, which the active load client 300 overseeson behalf of the customer. In an exemplary embodiment, the softwarerunning on the active load client 300 operates using the Linux embeddedoperating system 302 to manage the hardware and the general softwareenvironment. One skilled in the art will readily recognize that otheroperating systems, such as Microsoft's family of operating systems, MacOS, and Sun OS, C++, machine language, among others, are alternativelyable to be used. Additionally, the active load client 300 includes DHCPclient functionality to enable the active load client 300 to dynamicallyrequest IP addresses for itself and/or one or more controllable devices402-412, 420, 460 managed thereby from a DHCP server on the host IPnetwork facilitating communications between the active load client 300and the ALD server 100. The active load client 300 further includesrouter functionality and maintain a routing table of assigned IPaddresses in a memory of the active load client 300 to facilitatedelivery of messages from the active load client 300 to the controllabledevices 402-412, 420, 460.

A communications interface 308 facilitates connectivity between theactive load client 300 and the ALD server 100. Communication between theactive load client 300 and the ALD server 100 is based on any type of IPor other connection protocol, including but not limited to, the WIMAXprotocol, and equivalents or alternatives, as discussed in theforegoing. Thus, the communications interface 308 is a wired or wirelessmodem, a wireless access point, or other appropriate interface.

A standard IP Layer-3 router 320 routes messages received by thecommunications interface 308 to both the active load client 300 and toany other locally connected device 440. The router 320 determines if areceived message is directed to the active load client 300 and, if so,passes the message to a security interface 310 to be decrypted. Thesecurity interface 310 provides protection for the contents of themessages exchanged between the ALD server 100 and the active load client300. The message content is encrypted and decrypted by the securityinterface 310 using, for example, a symmetric encryption key composed ofa combination of the IP address and GPS data for the active load client300 or any other combination of known information. If the message is notdirected to the active load client 300, then it is passed to the IPdevice interface 330 for delivery to one or more locally connecteddevices 440. For example, the IP router 320 is programmed to route powerload management system messages as well as conventional Internetmessages. In such a case, the active load client 300 functions as agateway for Internet service supplied to the residence or businessinstead of using separate Internet gateways or routers.

An IP based communication converter 312 opens incoming messages from theALD server 100 and directs them to the appropriate function within theactive load client 300. The converter 312 also receives messages fromvarious active load client 300 functions (e.g., a device control manager314, a status response generator 304, and a report trigger application318), packages the messages in the form expected by the ALD server 100,and then passes them on to the security interface 310 for encryption.

The device control manager 314 processes power management commandsand/or command messages for various controllable devices logicallyconnected to the active load client 300. The devices include eithersmart breakers, smart meters, load control appliances, building controlsystems, and the like, 402-412 or other IP based devices 420, such assmart appliances with individual control modules (not shown). The devicecontrol manager 314 also processes “Query Request” or equivalentcommands or messages from the ALD server 100 by querying a statusresponse generator 304 which maintains the type and status of eachdevice controlled by the active load client 300, and providing thestatuses to the ALD server 100. The “Query Request” message includesinformation other than mere status requests, such as temperature setpoints for thermally controlled devices, time intervals during whichload control is permitted or prohibited, dates during which load controlis permitted or prohibited, and priorities of device control (e.g.,during a power reduction event, hot water heater and pool pump areturned off before HVAC unit is turned off), PSV, PTB, and/orcombinations thereof. If temperature set points or other non-statusinformation are included in a “Query Request” message and there is adevice attached to the active load client 300 that is able to processthe information, the temperature set points or other information aresent to that device 420 via a smart device interface 324.

The status response generator 304 receives status messages from the ALDserver 100 and, responsive thereto, polls each controllable device402-412, 420, 460 under the active load client's control to determinewhether the controllable device 402-412, 420, 460 is active and in goodoperational order. Each controllable device 402-412, 420, 460 respondsto the polls with operational information (e.g., activity status and/orerror reports) in a status response message. The active load client 300stores the status responses in a memory associated with the statusresponse generator 304 for reference in connection with power reductionevents.

The smart device interface 324 facilitates IP or other address-basedcommunications to individual devices 420 (e.g., smart appliance powercontrol modules) that are attached to the active load client 300. Theconnectivity is through one of several different types of networks,including but not limited to, BPL, ZIGBEE, WI-FI, BLUETOOTH, or directEthernet communications. Thus, the smart device interface 324 is a modemadapted for use in or on the network connecting the smart devices 420 tothe active load client 300. The smart device interface 324 also allowsthe device control manager 314 to manage those devices that have thecapability to sense temperature settings and respond to temperaturevariations.

The smart breakers, smart meters, load control appliances, buildingcontrol systems, and the like, module controller 306 formats, sends, andreceives messages, including power control, PSV, PTB, and/orcombinations thereof, instructions, to and from the smart breaker module400. In one embodiment, the communications is preferably through a BPLconnection. In such embodiment, the smart breaker module controller 306includes a BPL modem and operations software. The smart breaker module400 contains individual smart breakers, smart meters, load controlappliances, building control systems, and the like, 402-412, whereineach smart breaker 402-412 includes an applicable modem (e.g., a BPLmodem when BPL is the networking technology employed) and is preferablyin-line with power supplied to a single appliance or other device. TheB1-BN counter manager 316 determines and stores real time power usagefor each installed smart breaker 402-412. For example, the countermanager 316 tracks or counts the amount of power or PSV, PTB, and/orcombinations used by each smart breaker 402-412 and stores the countedamounts of power in a memory of the active load client 300 associatedwith the counter manager 316. When the counter for any breaker 402-412reaches a predetermined limit, the counter manager 316 provides anidentification number corresponding to the smart breaker 402-412 and thecorresponding amount of power (power number), PSV, PTB, and combinationsthereof, to the report trigger application 318. Once the information ispassed to the report trigger application 318, the counter manager 316resets the counter for the applicable breaker 402-412 to zero so thatinformation is once again able to be collected. The report triggerapplication 318 then creates a reporting message containingidentification information for the active load client 300,identification information for the particular smart breaker 402-412, andthe power number, and sends the report to the IP based communicationconverter 312 for transmission to the ALD server 100.

The smart meter interface 322 manages either smart meters 460 thatcommunicate using the communications methods or a current sensor 452connected to a traditional power meter 450. When the active load client300 receives a “Read Meters” command or message from the ALD server 100and a smart meter 460 is attached to the active load client 300, a “ReadMeters” command is sent to the meter 460 via the smart meter interface322 (e.g., a BPL modem). The smart meter interface 322 receives a replyto the “Read Meters” message from the smart meter 460, formats thisinformation along with identification information for the active loadclient 300, and provides the formatted message to the IP basedcommunication converter 312 for transmission to the ALD server 100.

A security device interface 328 transfers security messages to and fromany attached security device. For example, the security device interface328 is coupled by wire or wirelessly to a monitoring or security systemthat includes motion sensors, mechanical sensors, optical sensors,electrical sensors, smoke detectors, carbon monoxide detectors, and/orother safety and security monitoring devices. When the monitoring systemdetects a security or safety problem (e.g., break-in, fire, excessivecarbon monoxide levels), the monitoring system sends its alarm signal tothe security interface 328, which in turn forwards the alarm signal tothe IP network through the ALD server 100 for delivery to the target IPaddress (e.g., the security monitoring service provider). The securitydevice interface 328 is also be capable of communicating with theattached security device through the IP device interface to recognize anotification message from the device that it has lost its line basedtelephone connection. Once that notification has been received, an alertmessage is formatted and sent to the ALD server 100 through the IP basedcommunication converter 312.

Operation of the power management system 10 in accordance with exemplaryembodiments will now be described. In one embodiment, customersinitially sign up for power load management services using a webbrowser, or any web-enabled device. Using the web browser, the customeraccesses a power management system provider's website through the webbrowser interface 114 and provides his or her name and addressinformation, as well as the type of equipment he or she wants to havecontrolled by the power load management system and/or ALD 10 to saveenergy at peak load times and to accumulate power savings or carboncredits (which are used to receive reward incentives based upon thetotal amount of power, PSV, or carbon saved by the customer). Thecustomer also optionally agrees to allow management of power consumptionvia PTBs during non-peak times to sell back excess power to the utility,while simultaneously accumulating power savings or carbon credits.

The customer sign up application 116 creates a database entry for eachcustomer in the ALD database 124. Each customer's contact informationand load management preferences are stored or logged in the database124. For example, the customer is given several simple options formanaging any number of devices or class of devices, including parametersfor managing the devices (e.g., how long each type of device is able tobe switched off, reduced, and/or define hours when the devices are notto be switched off at all) in a building control system a plurality ofoptions exists. In particular, the customer is also able to providespecific parameters for HVAC operations (e.g., set control points forthe HVAC system specifying both the low and high temperature ranges).Additionally, the customer is given an option of receiving anotification (e.g., an email message, Instant Message, Text Message, orrecorded phone call, or any combination thereof) when a power managementevent occurs. When the customer completes entering data, a “New Service”or equivalent transaction message or command is sent to the servicedispatch manager 126.

Referring now again to FIG. 28 an exemplary operational flow diagram isillustrated providing steps executed by the ALD server 100 (e.g., aspart of the service dispatch manager 126) to manage service requests inthe exemplary power load management system 10, in accordance with oneembodiment of the present invention. The steps of FIG. 28 are preferablyimplemented as a set of computer instructions (software) stored in amemory (not shown) of the ALD server 100 and executed by one or moreprocessors (not shown) of the ALD server 100. Pursuant to the logicflow, the service dispatch manager 126 receives a transaction message orcommand and determines the type of transaction. Upon receiving a “NewService” transaction message, the service dispatch manager 126 schedulesa service person (e.g., technician) to make an initial installationvisit to the new customer. The service dispatch manager 126 thennotifies the scheduled service person, or dispatcher of servicepersonnel, of an awaiting service call using, for example, email, textmessaging, and/or instant messaging notifications. Alternatively, atechnician is able to use a “joining” device such as a PC, computer,tablet computer, smartphone, etc.

In one embodiment, responsive to the service call notification, theservice person obtains the new customer's name and address, adescription of the desired service, and a service time from a servicedispatch manager service log. The service person obtains an active loadclient 300, all necessary smart breaker modules 402-412, and allnecessary smart switches and/or ALCs to install at the customerlocation. The service person notes any missing information from thecustomer's database information (e.g., the devices being controlled,type make and model of each device, and any other information the systemwill need to function correctly). The service person installs the activeload client 300 and smart breakers 402-412 at the new customer'slocation. A global positioning satellite (GPS) device is optionally usedby the service person to determine an accurate geographic location ofthe new customer building, which will be added to the customer's entryin the ALD database 124 and is used to create a symmetric encryption keyto facilitate secure communications between the ALD server 100 and theactive load client 300. The physical location of the installed activeload client 300 is also entered into the customer's entry. Smart switchdevices are installed by the service person or left at the customerlocation for installation by the customer. After the active load client300 has been installed, the service dispatch manager 126 receives areport from the service person, via a service log, indicating that theinstallation is complete. The service dispatch manager 126 then sends an“Update” or equivalent transaction message to the ALC manager 108.

When a “Service” or similar transaction message or command is received,the service dispatch manager 126 schedules (512) a service person tomake a service call to the specified customer. The service dispatchmanager 126 then sends a “Diagnose” or similar transaction to the ALCdiagnostic manager 122. The ALC diagnostic manager 122 returns theresults of the diagnostic procedure to the service dispatch manager 126,which then notifies the service person of the service call and provideshim or her with the results of the diagnostic procedure using aconventional trouble ticket. The service person uses the diagnosticprocedure results in the trouble ticket to select the type of equipmentand replacement parts necessary for the service call including a “join”,“rejoin”, or “network” command to form an ALC-enabled load controlnetwork.

Preferably, the systems and methods of the present invention provide forautomated remote updating of ALCs, including but not limited tosoftware, firmware, chipsets, kernels, and combinations thereof.Updating through the ALD(s) and/or central server, and/or dedicatedserver for updating ALCs is provided by the present invention. Also,commands are sent for purposes for updating PSV, PTB by a central and/orremote device or server, or processor, meant to enhance for update PSV,PTB, or location of PTB server point ASIC within an IP message orproprietary message that deal with table spaces, pricing, changes inacceptable time increments, status messages, location of market (LMP,node, electrical bus, etc.) for the load for marketing, aggregated,settled, and combinations thereof. The updating is for purposes of PSV,PTB, or ability to know the health and/or status of any zone within theelectric power grid. Thus, the systems and methods of the presentinvention provide for automatic updating by remote server or dedicateddevice(s), through ALD(s) and/or directly to ALC(s) that affect anyaspect of updating of ALCs relating to software, firmware, rules,metrology, ASICs, chipsets, machine code, operating systems, andcombinations thereof. Furthermore, ALCs are able to be updated forimproved or increased accuracy of ALCs to qualify PSV and PTB associatedtherewith. Also, the present invention provides for ALCs with smartcross-communication that provide for at least one ALC to transmitcommands to at least one other ALC within the network associated withthe electric power grid.

FIG. 30 illustrates an exemplary operational flow diagram 600 providingsteps executed by the ALD server 100 (e.g., as part of the ALC manager108) to confirm customer sign-up to the power load management system 10,in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. The steps ofFIG. 5 are preferably implemented as a set of computer instructions(software) stored in a memory (not shown) of the ALD server 100 andexecuted by one or more processors (not shown) of the ALD server 100. Inaccordance with the logic flow, the ALC manager 108 receives (602) an“Update” or similar transaction message or command from the servicedispatch manager 126 and uses the IP address specified in the “Update”message to send (604) out a “Query Request” or similar message orcommand to the active load client 300. The “Query Request” messageincludes a list of devices the ALD server 100 expects to be managed. Ifthe customer information input at customer sign-up includes temperatureset points for one or more load-controllable devices, that informationis included in the “Query Request” message. Updating software, firmware,or any code embodiment via communication network via IP messages afterthe ALC are installed via the ALD or other operationsprocessor/database. The ALC manager 108 receives (606) a query replycontaining information about the active load client 300 (e.g., currentIP network, operational state (e.g., functioning or not), setting of allthe counters for measuring current usage (e.g., all are set to zero atinitial set up time), status of devices being controlled (e.g., eitherswitched to the “on” state or “off” state)). The ALC manager 108 updates(608) the ALD database 124 with the latest status information obtainedfrom the active load client 300. If the ALC manager 108 detects (610),from the query reply, that the active load client 300 is functioningproperly, it sets (612) the customer state to “active” to allowparticipation in ALD server activities. However, if the ALC manager 108detects (610) that the active load client 300 is not functioningproperly, it sends (614) a “Service” or similar transaction message orcommand to the service dispatch manager 126.

Referring now again to previously described FIG. 1C, an exemplaryoperational flow diagram 700 is illustrated providing steps executed bythe ALD server 100 (e.g., as part of the master event manager 106) tomanage events in the exemplary power load management system 10, inaccordance with one embodiment of the present invention. The steps ofFIG. 6 are preferably implemented as a set of computer instructions(software) stored in a memory (not shown) of the ALD server 100 andexecuted by one or more processors (not shown) of the ALD server 100.Pursuant to the logic flow, the master event manager 106 tracks (702)current power usage and/or PSV within each utility being managed by theALD server 100. When the master event manager 106 receives (704) atransaction message or command from the UCC command processor 104 or theALC manager 108, the master event manager 106 determines (706) the typeof transaction received. Upon receiving a “Cut” or “reduce” transactionfrom the UCC command processor 104 (resulting from a “Cut” or “reduce”command issued by the utility control center 200), the master eventmanager 106 places (708) the utility in a managed logical state. Themaster event manager then sends (710) a “Cut” or “reduce” transaction orevent message or command to the ALC manager 108 identifying the amountof power and/or PSV and/or PTB (e.g., in megawatts) that must be removedfrom the power system supplied by the utility. The amount of powerspecified for reduction in a “Cut” or “reduce” command is aninstantaneous amount of power and/or PSV and/or PTB or an average amountof power and/or PSV and/or PTB per unit time. Finally, the master eventmanager 106 notifies (711) every customer that has chosen to receive anotification (e.g., through transmission of an email or otherpre-established notification technique) that a power management event isin process.

Returning to block 706, when the master event manager 106 receives a“How Much” or other equivalent power inquiry transaction message orcommand from the UCC command processor 104 (resulting from a “How Much”and/or PSV and/or PTB or equivalent power inquiry command issued by theutility control center 200), the master event manager 106 determines(712) the amount of power and/or PSV and/or PTB that is able to betemporarily removed from a particular utility's managed system byaccessing the current usage information for that utility. The currentusage information is derived, in one embodiment, by aggregating thetotal available load for the serving utility, as determined from thecustomer usage information for the utility stored in the ALD database124, based on the total amount of power and/or PSV and/or PTB that haveto be supplied to the utility's customers in view of the statuses ofeach of the active load clients 300 and their respectively controllableload devices 402-412, 420, 460 during the load control intervalidentified in the “How Much” and/or PSV and/or PTB message.

Each utility is able to indicate a maximum amount of power or maximumpercentage of power to be reduced during any power reduction event. Suchmaximums or limits are stored in the utility P&C database 134 of the ALDserver 100 and downloaded to the master event manager 106. In oneembodiment, the master event manager 106 is programmed to remove adefault one percent (1%) of the utility's current power consumptionduring any particular power management period (e.g., one hour). Inalternative embodiments, the master event manager 106 is programmed toremove other fixed percentages of current power consumption or varyingpercentages of current power consumption based on the current powerconsumption (e.g., 1% when power consumption is at system maximum and10% when power consumption is at only 50% of system maximum). Based onthe amount of power to be removed, the master event manager 106 sends(710) a “Cut” or equivalent event message to the ALC manager 108indicating the amount of power (e.g., in megawatts) that must be removedfrom the utility's power system (e.g., 1% of the current usage), andnotifies (711) all customers that have chosen to receive a notificationthat a power management event is in process. The master event manager106 also sends a response to the utility control center 200 via the UCCcommand processor 104 advising the utility control center 200 as to thequantity of power that is able to be temporarily reduced by therequesting utility.

Returning once again to block 706, when the master event manager 106receives an “End Event” or equivalent transaction message or commandfrom the UCC command processor 104 (resulting from an “End Event”command issued by the utility control center 200), the master eventmanager 106 sets (714) the state of the current event as “Pending” andsends (716) an “End Event” or equivalent transaction message or commandto the ALC manager 108. When the ALC manager 108 has performed the stepsnecessary to end the present event (e.g., a power reduction or Cutevent), the master event manager 106 receives (718) an “Event Ended” orequivalent transaction from the ALC manager 108 and sets (720) theutility to a logical “Not Managed” state. The master event manager 106then notifies (722) each customer that has chosen to receive anotification (e.g., through transmission of an email or otherpre-established notification mechanism) that the power management eventhas ended. Finally, the master event manager 106 sends an “Event Ended”or equivalent transaction message or command to the power savingsapplication 120 and the utility control center 200 (via the UCC commandprocessor 104).

Turning now again to FIG. 1D, also previously described, exemplaryoperational flow diagram 800 illustrates steps executed by the ALDserver 100 (e.g., as part of the ALC manager 108) to manage powerconsumption in the exemplary power load management system 10, inaccordance with one embodiment of the present invention. The steps ofFIG. 1D are preferably implemented as a set of computer instructions(software) stored in a memory of the ALD server 100 and executed by oneor more processors of the ALD server 100. In accordance with the logicflow, the ALC manager 108 tracks (802) the state of each managed activeload client 300 by receiving messages, periodically or responsive topolls issued by the ALC manager 108, from every active load client 300that the ALC manager 108 manages. These messages indicate the presentstates of the active load clients 300. The state includes the presentconsumption of power for each controllable device 402-412, 420controlled by the active load client 300 (or the total power consumptionfor all controllable devices 402-412, 420 controlled by the active loadclient 300 if individual device metering is not available) and thestatus of each device 402-412, 420 (e.g., either “Off” or “On” or“Reduce”). The ALC manager 108 stores or logs (804) the powerconsumption and/or PSV and/or PTB and device status information in theALD database 124 in a record corresponding to the specified active loadclient 300 and its associated customer and serving utility. Note that,in one embodiment, there are distributed throughout the grid amultiplicity of ALCs and ALDs that are networked and responsive to thegrid operator, EMS, utility, market participant, and combinationsthereof. Furthermore, ALCs aggregate corresponding PSVs and/or PTBs,preferably at the electrical bus level, LMP, RTO, BA, etc. atappropriate PTBs for settlement purposes and other EMS requirements.

When the ALC manager 108 receives (806) a transaction message from themaster event manager 106, the ALC manager 108 first determines (808) thetype of transaction received. If the ALC manager 108 receives a “Cut” orequivalent transaction message or command from the master event manager106, the ALC manager 108 enters (810) a “Manage” logical state. The ALCmanager 108 then determines (812) which active load clients 300 andassociated devices 402-412, 420 operating on the utility specified inthe “Cut” message to switch to the “Off” state (or reduce). If alocation (e.g., list of GPS coordinates, a GPS coordinate range, ageographic area, or a power grid reference area) is included in the“Cut” or reduce transaction message, only those active load clients 300within the specified location are selected for switching to the “Off” orreduce state. In other words, the ALC manager 108 selects the group ofactive load client devices 300 to which the issue a “Turn Off” or reducetransaction message based at least partially on the geographic locationof each active load client 300 as such location relates to any locationidentified in the received “Cut” or reduce transaction message. The ALDdatabase 124 contains information on the present power consumption(and/or the average power consumption and/or PSV and/or PTB) for eachcontrollable device 402-412, 420 connected to each active load client300 in the system 10. The ALC manager 108 utilizes the stored powerconsumption information and/or PSV and/or PTB to determine how many, andto select which, devices 402-412, 420 to turn off to achieve the powerreduction required by the “Cut” message. The ALC manager 108 then sends(814) a “Turn Off” or equivalent transaction message or command to eachactive load client 300, along with a list of the devices to be turnedoff and a “change state to off or reduce” indication for each device402-412, 420 in the list. The ALC manager 108 then logs (816) the amountof power (either actual or average), as determined from the ALD database124, saved for each active load client 300, along with a time stampindicating when the power was reduced and/or target PSV and/or PTB wasachieved. The ALC manager 108 then schedules (818) transactions foritself to “Turn On” each turned-off device after a predetermined periodof time, including customer profile, or “drift” (e.g., which have beenset from a utility specified default, set by instructions from thecustomer, or otherwise programmed into the ALC manager 108).

Returning back to block 808, when the ALC manager 108 receives a “TurnOn” or equivalent transaction message or command from the master eventmanager 106 for a specified active load client 300, and the ALCmanager's state is currently in a “Manage” state, the ALC manager 108finds (820) one or more active load clients 300 that are in the “On”state and do not have any of their managed devices 402-412, 420 turnedoff (and are in the specified location if so required by the original“Cut” or reduce transaction message), which, when one or more of suchdevices 402-412, 420 are turned off or reduced, will save the same orsubstantially the same amount of power and/or PSV and/or PTB that ispresently being saved by the specified active load clients that are inthe “Off” or reduce state. Upon identifying new active load clients 300from which to save power, the ALC manager 108 sends (822) a “Turn Off”or reduce or equivalent transaction message or command to each activeload client 300 that must be turned off or power thereto reduced inorder to save the same amount of power and/or PSV and/or PTB, as theactive load client(s) (ALCs) to be turned on (i.e., to have its or theirmanaged devices 402-412, 420 turned on) or to save an otherwiseacceptable amount of power and/or PSV and/or PTB (e.g., a portion of thepower previously saved by the active load client(s) to be turned backon). The ALC manager 108 also sends (824) a “Turn On” or equivalenttransaction message or command to each active load client 300 to beturned back on. The “Turn On” message instructs all active load clients300 to which the message was directed to turn on any controllabledevices that have been turned off, and causes the affected active loadclients 300 to instruct their controllable devices 402-412, 420 toenable the flow of electric power to their associated power consumingdevices (e.g., appliance, HVAC unit, and so forth). Finally, the ALCmanager 108 logs (826) the time that the “Turn On” transaction messageis sent in the ALD database 124.

Returning once again to block 808, when the ALC manager 108 receives an“End Event” or equivalent transaction message or command from the masterevent manager 106, the ALC manager 108 sends (828) a “Turn On” orequivalent transaction message or command to every active load client300 which is currently in the “Off” or reduce state and is served by theserving utility identified in the “End Event” message or to which the“End Event” message relates. Upon determining (830) that all theappropriate active load clients 300 have transitioned to the “On” state,the ALC manager 108 sends (832) an “Event Ended” or equivalenttransaction message or command to the master event manager 106.

An exemplary operational flow of steps executed by the ALD server 100(e.g., through operation of the power savings application 120) tocalculate and allocate power savings in the power load management system10, in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention isfurther described herein. The power savings application 120 calculatesthe total amount of power saved by each utility for each Cut or reduceevent and the amount of power saved by each customer possessing anactive load client (ALC) 300, against a baseline.

According to the logic flow of FIG. 26 , the power savings application120 receives (902) an “Event Ended” or equivalent transaction message orcommand from the master event manager 106 each time a “Cut” or reduce orpower savings event has ended. The power savings application 120 thenaccesses (904) the ALD database 124 for each active load client 300involved in the “Cut” or reduce event. The database record for eachactive load client 300 contains the actual amount (or average amount) ofpower and/or PSV and/or PTB that would have been used by the active loadclient 300 during the last “Cut” or reduce event, along with the amountof time that each controllable device 402-412, 420 associated with theactive load client 300 was turned off. The power savings application 120uses this information to calculate the amount of power (e.g., inmegawatts per hour) that was saved for each active load client 300. Thetotal power savings and/or PSV and/or PTB for each active load client300 is stored in its corresponding entry in the ALD database 124. Arunning total of power saved is kept for each “Cut” or reducetransaction. Each utility that is served by the ALD server 100 has anentry in the utility P&C database 134. The power savings application 120stores (906) the total amount of power and/or PSV and/or PTB (e.g., inmegawatts per hour) saved for the specific utility in the utility'scorresponding entry in the utility or market participant P&C database134, along with other information related to the power savings event(e.g., the time duration of the event, the number of active load clients(ALCs) required to reach the power savings and/or PSV and/or PTB,average length of time each device was in the off state, plus any otherinformation that is useful in fine tuning future events and in improvingcustomer experience). When all active load client entries have beenprocessed, the power savings application 120 optionally invokes (908)the carbon savings application 132 or, analogously, a sulfur dioxidesavings application or a nitrogen dioxide savings application, tocorrelate the power savings with carbon credits, sulfur dioxide creditsor nitrogen dioxide credits, respectively, based on the geographiclocations of the particular serving utility or market participant andcustomer. Additionally, in one embodiment, the carbon savingsapplication 132 determines carbon credits based on government approvedor supplied formulas and stores the determined carbon credits and/or PSVand/or PTB on a per customer and/or per utility basis.

As described above, the present invention encompasses a method formanaging and distributing power within a power management system basedon real-time feedback from addressable and remotely controllable devicesincluding the actual amount of power currently being individually orcollectively consumed by the addressable devices. With this invention, apower management system is able to pinpoint specific areas of high powerusage and more accurately distribute power loads to utilities in need.Additionally, the present invention provides optional participationincentives for customers based on the amount of their actualparticipation in the power management system.

Additionally, customer profiles for power consumption are included inthe present invention. The embodiments described utilize conceptsdisclosed in published patent application US 2009/0062970, entitled“System and Method for Active Power Load Management” which isincorporated by reference in its entirety herein. The followingparagraphs describe the Active Management Load System (ALMS), whichincludes at least one Active Load Director (ALD), and at least oneActive Load Client (ALC) in sufficient detail to assist the reader inthe understanding of the embodiments described herein. More detaileddescription of the ALMS, ALD, and ALC is found in US 2009/0062970, whichis incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

Embodiments described herein utilize the Active Load Management System(ALMS) that is fully described in published patent application US2009/0062970. The ALMS captures energy usage data at each service pointand stores that data in a central database. This data describes all ofthe energy consumed by devices owned by each customer, as well asadditional information, such as customer preferences. Other embodimentsof the ALMS and/or ALC/ALD combination focus on use of this informationin the calculation of carbon credits or for the trading of unusedenergy.

In one embodiment, a system and method are provided for creating andmaking use of customer profiles, including energy consumption patterns.Devices within a service point, using the active load director, aresubject to control events, often based on customer preferences. Thesecontrol events cause the service point to use less power. Dataassociated with these control events, as well as related environmentdata, are used to create an energy consumption profile for each servicepoint. This is used by the utility to determine which service points arethe best targets for energy consumption. In addition, an additionalalgorithm determines how to prevent the same service points from beingpicked first each time the utility wants to conserve power.

In one embodiment, a method is provided for determining and usingcustomer energy profiles to manage electrical load control events on acommunications network between a server in communication with anelectric utility and a client device at each of a plurality of servicepoints. A customer profile is generated at the server for each of aplurality of customers including at least energy consumption informationfor a plurality of controllable energy consuming devices at anassociated service point. The plurality of customer profiles is storedin a database at the server for use in load control events. Theplurality of customer profiles are aggregated into a plurality of groupsbased on at least one predetermined criterion, for example PSV and/orPTB, grouping by bus, as required.

A candidate list of service points for load control events based on thepredetermined criterion is generated at the server. A load control eventis sent to at least one selected service point in the candidate list ofservice points in response to an energy reduction request including atarget energy savings received from the electric utility via thecommunications network. An energy savings for the plurality ofcontrollable energy consuming devices resulting from the load controlevent at the selected service point is determined at the server. Theserver determines if the resulting energy savings is at least equal tothe target energy savings. The load control event is sent to at leastone selected additional service point in the candidate list of servicepoints in order to reach the target energy savings, if the target energysavings has not been reached.

In one embodiment, a system is provided for determining and usingcustomer energy profiles to manage electrical load control events on acommunications network between a server in communication with anelectric utility and a client device at each of a plurality of servicepoints, including an interface for each customer location that could bean ALC, smart meter, building control, and combinations thereof. Thesystem includes a memory storing a database containing a plurality ofcustomer profiles for load control events wherein each customer profileincludes at least energy consumption information for a plurality ofcontrollable energy consuming devices at an associated service point;and a server processor, cooperative with the memory, and configured formanaging electrical load control events on the communications network tothe plurality of service points by: generating a customer profile foreach of a plurality of customers; aggregating the plurality of customerprofiles into a plurality of groups based on at least one predeterminedcriterion; generating a candidate list of service points for loadcontrol events based on the predetermined criterion; sending a loadcontrol event to at least one selected service point in the candidatelist of service points in response to an energy reduction requestincluding a target energy savings received from the electric utility viathe communications network; determining an energy savings for theplurality of controllable energy consuming devices resulting from theload control event at the selected service point; determining if theresulting energy savings is at least equal to the target energy savings;and sending the load control event to at least one selected additionalservice point in the candidate list of service points in order to reachthe target energy savings.

Note that control events, command and control messages, and timeperiods, and combinations thereof, managed by the ALCs and/or ALDs, andother messaging used in embodiments of the invention include regulatedload management messages. Regulated load management messages containinformation used to apply control of the electric supply to individualappliances or equipment on customer premises. The load to be controlledincludes native load and operating reserves including regulating,spinning, and non-spinning types. The embodiments disclosed make use ofthe “customer profiles” concept. The ALMS and/or ALC/ALD combination(s)enables data to be gathered to generate a profile of each customer,including information about controllable energy consuming devices, andthe related individual structures or service points. Customer profilesreside within the Active Load Director Database 124 in the Active LoadDirector 100. Included in this customer profile is the customer'spattern of energy consumption. The customer profile includes, but is notlimited to, the following: (1) customer name; (2) customer address; (3)geodetic location; (4) meter ID; (5) customer programs (possiblyincluding program history); (6) device information, including devicetype and manufacturer/brand; (7) customer energy consumption patterns;and (8) connection and disconnection profile. Theconnection/disconnection profile includes service priority (i.e.,elderly, police, etc.) and disconnection instructions. The customerprofile is created by using data gathered from within the ALMS. Datagathered or calculated includes, but is not be limited to, thefollowing: (1) set points; (2) energy and average energy used in a giventime period; (3) energy and average energy saved in a given time period;(4) drift time per unit temperature and average drift time; and (5)power time per unit temperature and average power time per unittemperature.

In other embodiments, additional data called “variability factors” arecaptured by the ALMS or ALC/ALD combination as part of the customerprofile, including, but not limited to, the following: (1) outsidetemperature, (2) sunlight, (3) humidity, (4) wind speed and direction,(5) elevation above sea level, (6) orientation of the service pointstructure, (7) duty duration and percentage, (8) set point difference,(9) current and historic room temperature, (10) size of structure, (11)number of floors, (12) type of construction (brick, wood, siding etc.)(13) color of structure, (14) type of roofing material and color, (15)construction surface of structure (built on turf, clay, cement, asphaltetc.), (16) land use (urban, suburban, rural), (17) latitude/longitude,(18) relative position to jet stream, (19) quality of power to devices,(20) number of people living in and/or using structure and (21) otherenvironmental factors.

Additional factors are sometimes deemed necessary for determining uniqueenergy consumption patterns and generating performance curves and datamatrices for usage in load control events and other purposes detailed inthis and related patent applications.

By way of example, based upon the reduction in consumed power, thesystems and methods of the present invention provide for generating atthe control center a power supply value (PSV) corresponding to thereduction in consumed power by the power consuming device(s).Importantly, the PSV is an actual value that includes measurement andverification of the reduction in consumed power; such measurement andverification methods are determined by the appropriate governing body orauthority for the electric power grid(s). Power Supply Value (PSV) iscalculated at the meter or submeter or at building control system or atany device or controller that measures power within the standard assupplied by the regulatory body(ies) that govern the regulation of thegrid. In one embodiment, PSV variations depend on operating tolerances,operating standard for accuracy of the measurement. The PSV enablestransformation of curtailment or reduction in power at the device levelby any system that sends or receives an IP message to be related to orequated to supply as presented to the governing entity that acceptsthese values and award supply equivalence, for example of a powergenerating entity or an entity allowed to control power consumingdevices as permitted by the governing body of the electric power grid,e.g., FERC, NERC, etc.

PSV is able to be provided in units of electrical power flow, monetaryequivalent, and combinations thereof. Thus, the PSV provides an actualvalue that is confirmed by measurement and/or verification, therebyproviding for a curtailment value as a requirement for providing supplyto the power grid, wherein the supply to the power electric power gridis provided for grid stability, voltage stability, reliability, andcombinations thereof, and is further provided as responsive to an energymanagement system or equivalent for providing grid stability,reliability, frequency as determined by governing authority for theelectric power grid and/or grid operator(s).

As part of the Active Load Directory (ALD), the methods described hereinconsolidate this information creating a historic energy consumptionpattern reflecting the amount of energy used by each service point tomaintain its normal mode of operation. This energy consumption patternis part of a customer's profile.

Energy consumption patterns are subject to analysis that is able to beused for a variety of different types of activities. For example, basedon the energy consumption patterns created from this data, the ALD willderive performance curves and/or data matrices for each service point towhich the Active Load Management System (ALC/ALD combination(s)) isattached and determine the amount of energy reduction that is able to berealized from each service point. The ALD will create a list of servicepoints through which energy consumption is able to be reduced via demandside management, interruptible load, or spinning/regulation reserves.This information is able to be manipulated by the ALD processes tocreate a prioritized, rotational order of control, called “intelligentload rotation” which is described in detail below. This rotationalshifting of the burden of the interruptible load has the practicaleffect of reducing and flattening the utility load curve while allowingthe serving utility to effectively group its customers within the ALD orits own databases by energy efficiency.

The practical application of this data is that in load control events, autility is able to determine the most efficient service points todispatch energy from, or more importantly derive the most inefficientservice points (e.g., homes, small businesses, communities, structures,or devices) within the utility's operating territory. Based on thisinformation, highly targeted conservation programs could have animmediate impact to improve energy efficiency. From a marketingperspective, this is invaluable information because it contains thecomfort preference of a service point compared against the capabilitiesof the service point's energy consuming devices, or the lack ofefficiency of those devices. From a national security point of view, theprofiles could be used to determine habits of monitored end customers ina similar fashion to how Communications Assistance for Law EnforcementAct (CALEA) is used by law enforcement for wire-tapping. Utilities oftenuse energy consumption patterns to categorize or group customers forservice, control event, marketing, sales, or other purposes. Other usesof energy consumption patterns are possible that determine or predictcustomer behavior.

Generally, the embodiments described encompass a closed loop system andmethod for creating a customer profile, calculating and derivingpatterns of energy drift, and making use of those patterns whenimplemented through the machinery of a system comprised of loadmeasurement devices combined with the physical communications link andwhen these inputs are manipulated through a computer, processor, memory,routers and other necessary machines as those who are skilled in the artexpects to be utilized.

The embodiments described also make use of the concept of “drift.” Thedata gathered for the customer profile is used to empirically derive thedecay rate or drift, temperature slope, or a dynamic equation (f{x})whereby the service point (or device) will have a uniquely derived“fingerprint” or energy usage pattern.

Drift occurs when a climate-controlled device begins to deviate from aset point. This occurs both normally and during control events.Customers define the upper and lower boundaries of comfort in customerpreferences, with the set point in the middle of those boundaries.During normal operation, a climate controlled device will attempt tostay near the device's set point. However, all devices have a duty cyclethat specifies when the device is in operation because many devices arenot continuously in operation. For a climate-controlled device, the dutycycle ends when the inside temperature reaches, or is within a giventolerance of, the set point. This allows the device to “drift” (upwardor downward) toward a comfort boundary temperature. Once the boundarytemperature is reached, the duty cycle begins again until the insidetemperature reaches, or is within a given tolerance of, the set pointwhich ends the duty cycle.

Therefore, drift is the time it takes for a climate-controlled device tomove from the set point to the upper or lower comfort boundary. Drift iscalculated and recorded for each service point and for each deviceassociated with the service point. The inverse of drift is “power time”which is the time it takes for the device to move from the comfortboundary to the set point.

Drift also often occurs during a control event. A control event is anaction that reduces or terminates power consumption of a device. Duringa control event, a climate-controlled device will drift toward maximumor minimum control event boundaries (upper or lower) until it reachesthat boundary which is normally outside the comfort boundary. Once itreaches the control event boundary, the ALMS returns power to the deviceto enable it to reach the set point again.

As an example, an HVAC system has a set point of 72.degree. and aminimum and maximum temperature of 68.degree. and 76.degree.,respectively. On a cold day, a control event causes the HVAC system tobegin to lose power and move toward the minimum temperature. Once thestructure reaches the minimum temperature, the control event ends, andpower is restored to the HVAC system, thus causing the temperature torise toward the preferred temperature. A similar but opposite effecttakes place on a warm day.

In some embodiments, drift, as well as other measurements available fromthe active load director data base 124, are used to create an energyconsumption pattern for each service point. Additional measurementsinclude vacancy times, sleep times, times in which control events arepermitted, as well as variability factors referred to previously.

A device that resides within an energy-efficient structure will have atendency to cool or heat more slowly, thus exhibiting a lower rate ofdrift. These devices are subject to control events for longer periods oftime, commensurate with the rate of drift, because it takes them longerto drift to a comfort boundary.

In another embodiment, the active load director server 100 identifiesservice points that have an optimum drift for power savings. The powersavings application 120 calculates drift for each service point andsaves that information in the active load director data base 124.

The embodiments disclosed also make use of the “intelligent loadrotation” concept. Intelligent load rotation uses machine intelligenceto ensure that the same service points are not always selected forcontrol events, but distributes control events over a service area insome equitable way.

There are a variety of ways in which intelligent load rotation is ableto be implemented. In one embodiment of intelligent load rotation,service points are simply selected in a sequential list until the end isreached, after which selection starts at the top of the list again. Thisis a fairly straightforward approach that is able to be implemented byany one skilled in the art.

The present invention further includes a basic intelligent load rotationalgorithm. In general, the algorithm goes through each service pointwithin a group of service points, and sends control events to each ofthose service points until enough energy savings have been obtained.

In its most basic form, the algorithm first identifies a group selectioncriteria as indicated in logic block. This is as simple as all servicepoints or is more complex, such as selecting service points within aspecified drift or within a specified geographic area. The groupselection criteria includes, but is not limited to, any of thefollowing: (1) random selection of service points; (2) drift; (3)grouping of logical geodetic points by a utility; (4) efficiency ratingof appliances; (5) ALD customer preferences; (6) capacity of devices;(7) proximity to transmission lines; (8) pricing signals (both dynamicand static); and (9) service priority, based upon an emergency situation(i.e. fire, police, hospital, elderly, etc.), the required level ofoperating reserves from market participant, grid operator, EMS, andequivalent.

The algorithm then identifies an individual service point selectioncriterion as indicated in logic block. This is the criterion forselecting individual service points within a group. In its simplestembodiment, this criterion involves sequential selection of servicepoints within the group. Other criteria include random selection,selection based on number of previous control events, or other criteria.

Next, the algorithm creates a candidate list of service points based onthe group selection criteria as indicated in logic block. From thislist, the algorithm selects a service point based on the individualservice point selection criteria as indicated in logic block. The ALMSthen sends a control event to the selected service point as indicated inlogic block, and calculates the energy savings of that control eventbased on drift calculation as indicated in block. The algorithm thendetermines if more energy savings are needed to reach the savings targetas indicated in decision block. If not, then the ALMS records where thealgorithm ended in the candidate list as indicated in block 1824 andexits. If more energy savings are needed, then the ALMS determines ifany more service points are in the candidate list as indicated indecision block. If there are no more service points in the candidatelist, then the algorithm returns to the beginning of the candidate listagain in logic block. Otherwise, if there are more service points in thecandidate list, the algorithm simply returns to logic block.

In an alternate embodiment, decision block is able to be modified todetermine if more service points are to be selected from this group.

There are many other embodiments of intelligent load rotation. Manyembodiments are based on the group selection criteria. In oneembodiment, service points are grouped by geography or some other commoncharacteristic of service points. For example, groups might include“light consumers” (because they consume little energy), “daytimeconsumers” (because they work at night), “swimmers” (for those who havea pool and use it), or other categories. These categories are useful tothe utility or market participant, grid operator, EMS, or equivalent forquickly referring to customers with specific energy demographics. Theutility or market participant, grid operator, EMS, or equivalent thenselects a number of service points in each group for control events tospread control events among various groups.

In another embodiment, optimum drift is able to be used as the groupselection criteria. Because those service points will use the leastenergy, the utility often wants to select those service points that arethe most energy efficient.

In another embodiment, a group of service points is selected that havehad the fewest control events in the past. This ensures that servicepoints with the most control events in the past will be bypassed infavor of those who have received fewer control events.

In another embodiment, with reference to FIGS. 24-25 , drift is used asa means of intelligent load rotation. As data is collected by the ALMSor ALC/ALD combinations, it is possible to calculate the total drift ofa device over time, as shown in FIG. 24 . The calculation for oneservice point represents one vector on the graph. Each vector representsthe drift for a single service point. To identify the service pointswith the optimal drift, the ALD 100 determines the median drift and allservice points having a drift that is within one standard deviation awayfrom that median. That represents the shaded area in the graph depictedin FIG. 25 . If sufficient service points cannot be found that arewithin one standard deviation, then the second standard deviation isable to be selected.

In another embodiment, energy consumption patterns in customer profilesare used to identify service points that are the best targets for excesspower sharing. This occurs when renewable energy such as solar or windis added to the grid, resulting in power that cannot be compensated forby the grid. This could occur, for example, on very windy days. Whenthis happens, utilities or market participant, grid operator, EMS, orequivalent are faced with the problem of what to do with the excessenergy. Instead of cutting power to service points in order to affectpower savings, a utility, market participant, grid operator, EMS, orequivalent could add energy to service points in order to effect powerdissipation. The service points selected by the utility are sometimesdifferent (or even the inverse) from those selected for power savings.The devices at these service points are turned on if they were off orset points for climate-controlled devices are adjusted to heat or coolmore than normal. Spread out over many control points, this is able toprovide the energy dissipation needed.

In a further embodiment, energy consumption patterns within customerprofiles could be used to identify opportunities for up selling, downselling, or cross selling. These opportunities are able to be determinedby the power utility or by its partners. Data from customer profiles isused to provide insights on inefficient devices, defective devices, ordevices that require updating to meet current standards. Customerprofile data is also used to identify related sales opportunities. Forexample, if energy consumption patterns suggest that the customer isvery interested in personal energy conservation, then sales effortscould be directed toward that individual concerning products related tothat lifestyle. This information is then used by the utility or itspartners to provide incentives to customers to buy newer, updateddevices, or obtain maintenance for existing devices. The customer isgiven the option to opt out of having his customer profile used forsales and marketing efforts, or for regulating energy conservation. Thecustomer profile makes use of open standards (by way of example and notlimitation, the CPExchange standard) that specify a privacy model withthe customer profile. The use of consumption patterns in this manner isgoverned by national, state, or local privacy laws and regulations.

A further embodiment of using customer profiles to identify salesopportunities involves the use of device information to createincentives for customers to replace inefficient devices. By identifyingthe known characteristics and/or behavior of devices within a servicepoint, the invention identifies those customers who benefit fromreplacement of those devices. The invention estimates a payback periodfor replacement. This information is used by the ALC/ALD operator tocreate redemptions, discounts, and campaigns to persuade customers toreplace their devices.

Furthermore, customer profiles when combined with characteristics aboutthe load consuming devices, the structure or building that consumeselectricity, or a combination of many human & thermodynamic factors,weather (both forecasted & actual), is able to assist utilities, REPs,market participants, or Demand Response Aggregators (commonly referredto as Curtailment Service Providers or “CSPs” who are themselves MarketParticipants) form unique energy consumption data and “curves” thatprovides a utility, REP, Market Participant, CSP or any other entitythat has been granted permission by the Grid Operator or governing bodyof the electric utility grid, to create estimated and actual PowerSupply Values for how much power is available to remove from the gridunder the positive control of both the consumer and the utility, REP,CSP, Market Participant or grid operators. The system uses theinformation and selects based upon the profiles and quality of thedevices to give the most PSV for operating reserves back to the gridwith minimized tangible impact on the consumer or the device following acurtailment event.

FIG. 31 provides a schematic diagram illustrating analytics for how thesystem and methods of the present invention provides additionaloperating (e.g., regulating, spinning and/or non-spinning) reserve to apower utility, market participant, grid operator, etc. FIG. 32illustrates a screen shot of an exemplary web browser interface throughwhich a customer is able to designate his or her device performance andenergy saving preferences for an environmentally-dependent, powerconsuming device in accordance with one embodiment of the presentinvention; FIG. 33 is a graph that depicts a load profile of a utilityduring a projected time period, showing actual energy usage as well asprojected energy usage determined with and without a control event, inaccordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention;automated computer program allows for determination of which devices forcurtailment as FIG. 24 is a diagram illustrating an exemplary curve forpower consuming devices within the system, wherein each device has itsown curve based upon factors; and FIG. 25 illustrating generation of anexemplary sampling repository at the active load director associatedwith the devices and the curve of FIG. 24 to determine which buildingsor homes are more energy efficient; these are better targets becausethey maintain conditions at curtailment longer without deterioration(e.g., heat loss, cool loss of home, etc.) power efficiency,thermodynamic efficiency, then control based upon the reserve that isbeing dispatched, thereby creating “bands” of operating reserves basedupon prioritization within the system.

According to the present invention, PSV is able to be generated bymethods including information relating to baselining historical load,estimating based upon curves, real-time or near-real-time value, andcombinations thereof. Advantageously, the present invention providesactive load management metrics, including PSV, much better than merelystatistical estimate for a command as with prior art; PSV also furtherprovides for steps of measurement and settlement. FERC requires that thesettlement credits provide at point where it occurs; so then settlementinformation follows the transaction; most preferably, according to thepresent invention, settlement occurs in real time or near real time, asin financial transactions or other commodity transactions, such as fornatural gas supply. Also, preferably, there is a defined interval thatis accepted or acceptable by the governing entity for the electric powergrid, wherein each transaction is recorded as it occurs. Furthermore,the present invention provides for IP real-time communications thatprovide for settlement of the curtailment by load-consuming devices ator approximate to the time of the transaction, i.e., the curtailment.Also, preferably, there is data that provides supporting evidenceattached with the IP real-time communication of the acceptance of theload control event, and then automatically recorded in a settlementdatabase. Also, some information related to this transaction and itssettlement is transmitted to the energy/curtailment purchaser, and thenalso the seller is paid according to the PSV and/or PTB related to thecurtailment event.

These Power Supply Values (PSVs) and Curves created by the consumer, theconsumption habits, data mining and the thermodynamic properties of theload consuming devices and whatever these load consuming devices areattached to provide a method and apparatus such that the consumerexperience is not negatively impacted and that small amounts of electricconsumption are able to be collected from the profiles and provided to autility, grid operator, market participant, REP or CSP and sold back tothe electric grid in the form of Operating Reserves or other DemandResponse/Curtailment Programs where the individual profiles whencombined with a plurality of profiles created marketable Power TradingBlocks as so long as these blocks are able to meet the operationalrequirements of the grid operators/utilities and are utilized either byan processor, database, and active load intelligence that supplies thegrid operator, utility with sufficient information so that the profilederived Operating Reserve is able to be monetized as directed by FERCOrder 745 or any subsequent FERC Orders that result incurtailment/demand response to have economic value to the consumer andthe utility, market participant, CSP, REP or any other entity that isauthorized to aggregate and monetize curtailment and operating reservesback to the electric utility grid.

Power Trading Blocks (PTBs) are dependent upon the grid operator or ISO;there must be enough curtailment or supply for the grid operator toaccept, settle, and monetize. At this time, the PTB is 100 kWatts inmost electric power grids, such as a conventional utility or independentsystem operator or grid or microgrid operator. Generally, the poweravailable as operating reserves is traded in larger amounts, PTB size,to be significant enough to beneficially stabilize the grid and itsoperating reserves. At this time, the regional trading organization orgeographic-specific grid and corresponding regulations therefor,determine the PTB size, which typically requires the aggregation of loadfrom a multiplicity of consumers, residential or commercial, to reach aminimum PTB size or PTB unit. The PTB unit, combined with the PSV, andthe real-time secure communications used with ALC/ALD function to lowerthe size of the minimum PTB required to form a PTB unit for gridreception and settlement purposes. The commercial impact determines theminimum PTB size, which corresponds to a PTB unit, due to cost andtiming of communication of the information related to the curtailmentevent(s) and response by the device(s), and how aggregation of loadcurtailment by the multiplicity of devices is managed to ensure maximumcompensation to the customer(s) associated with the device(s) for thecurtailment event, with minimum negative physical impact to thoseconsumers and/or devices from the curtailment event.

In one embodiment, customer profiles are dynamic. An example of this isthe ability for a consumer (commercial or residential) to utilize realtime communications from an electric utility grid, market, marketparticipant, utility, REP, CSP or any other entity authorized on behalfof the consumer to act on their behalf to control load consuming devicesowned by the consumer and connected to the electric utility grid. Aconsumer is able to receive this information through a plurality ofmethods utilizing IP based communications methods and web based devicessuch as smart phones, computers, text messages, paging messages, or evenvoice response units or live customer service agents. Under this realtime scenario, a consumer could dynamically “Opt In” to a pre-determinedcustomer profile or “Opt Out” or more importantly change the profiledynamically to take advantage of real time market pricing of electricitybeing sold by the utility, market participant, REP or any entityauthorized to buy, sell and trade electric commodity or demand responseproducts on behalf of the consumer.

Alternative methods to be considered include processor based consumerprofiles where multiple “what if” scenarios based upon time of use,pricing, pricing triggers, comfort and unforeseen events such as naturaldisasters are contemplated. Under these scenarios, the customer profileis able to automatically be changed by the processor/database apparatus,the end devices themselves or a “learning” algorithm whereby theconsumer allows an intelligent programming “Artificial Intelligence”capability to predict and act on the consumer's behalf without anyintervention by the consumer required, but with the correspondingOperating Reserves and Power Supply Values communicated in real time ornear real time sufficient for the utility, REP, Market Participant, CSPor other authorized entity to act and trade these Operating Reservescreated by the aggregation of the consumer profiles through theplurality of systems and apparatus' to act individually or connected andnetworked together to act as one resource through an energy managementsystem or some other approved processor/database/cloud based system thatis able to aggregate the sum of the profiles, determine the Power SupplyValues, create the operating reserves via the profiles and send theappropriate command & control commands through various IP basedcommunications methods to effect the devices, permitted through theseprofiles, to perform either curtailment (or consumption) to created theappropriate Operating Reserve product.

Customer Profiles are also important in the operation of the newrenewable markets to include electric vehicle operations. Chargingoperations of electric vehicles have the potential effect of negativelyimpacting the operation of the electric grid by causing unpredictablepeaks and distribution system stress if too many vehicles are chargingsimultaneously, so then billing from different charging locations butassociated with a specific electric vehicle provide for settlementtherefor. Furthermore the problem of settlement of charging in foreignlocations from the consumers “home” charging station has not beenaddressed. Consumer profiles are a very important component of thissolution as the location of the EV, the cost of power at the point of are-charging event, the remaining capacity of the on-board batteries andthe ability to dispatch excess capacity to the electric grid via anActive Load Director or intelligent charging station are all componentsof Customer Profiles that is also able to be utilized for the economicadvantage of both the consumer, the utility, market participant, REP orCSP. Dynamic pricing transmitted to the car via an IP message or via a“smart phone”, text or through the charging station directly combinedwith set or dynamic profiles as previously described when aggregatedwith other EVs.

It should be noted that many terms and acronyms are used in thisdescription that are well-defined in the telecommunications and computernetworking industries and are well understood by persons skilled inthese arts. Complete descriptions of these terms and acronyms, whetherdefining a telecommunications standard or protocol, are able to be foundin readily available telecommunications standards and literature and arenot described in any detail herein.

It will be appreciated that embodiments or components of the systemsdescribed herein are comprised of one or more conventional processorsand unique stored program instructions that control the one or moreprocessors to implement, in conjunction with certain non-processorcircuits, some, most, or all of the functions for managing power loaddistribution, and tracking and controlling individual subscriber powerconsumption and savings in one or more power load management systems.The non-processor circuits include, but are not limited to, radioreceivers, radio transmitters, antennas, modems, signal drivers, clockcircuits, power source circuits, relays, meters, smart breakers, currentsensors, and customer input devices. As such, these functions will beinterpreted as steps of a method to distribute information and controlsignals between devices in a power load management system.Alternatively, some or all functions could be implemented by a statemachine that has no stored program instructions, or in one or moreapplication specific integrated circuits (ASICs), in which each functionor some combinations of functions are implemented as custom logic. Ofcourse, a combination of the two approaches could be used. Thus, methodsand means for these functions have been described herein. Further, it isexpected that one of ordinary skill in the art, notwithstanding possiblysignificant effort and many design choices motivated by, for example,available time, current technology, and economic considerations, whenguided by the concepts and principles disclosed herein, will be readilycapable of generating such software instructions, programs andintegrated circuits (ICs), and appropriately arranging and functionallyintegrating such non-processor circuits, without undue experimentation.

Additionally, measurement, verification, settlement for the PSV forthose market participants involved in the power management of the systemis further included in the application of the present invention.

In the foregoing specification, the present invention has been describedwith reference to specific embodiments. However, one of ordinary skillin the art will appreciate that various modifications and changes areable to be made without departing from the spirit and scope of thepresent invention as set forth in the appended claims. For example, thepresent invention is applicable for managing the distribution of powerfrom utility companies to subscribing customers using any number ofIP-based or other communication methods. Additionally the functions ofspecific modules within the ALD server 100 and/or active load client 300are able to be performed by one or more equivalent means. Accordingly,the specification and drawings are to be regarded in an illustrativerather than a restrictive sense, and all such modifications are intendedto be included within the scope of the present invention.

Benefits, other advantages, and solutions to problems have beendescribed above with regard to specific embodiments of the presentinvention. However, the benefits, advantages, solutions to problems, andany element(s) that causes or results in such benefits, advantages, orsolutions to become more pronounced are not to be construed as acritical, required, or essential feature or element of any or all theclaims. The invention is defined solely by the appended claims includingany amendments made during the pendency of this application and allequivalents of those claims as issued.

Certain modifications and improvements will occur to those skilled inthe art upon a reading of the foregoing description. The above-mentionedexamples are provided to serve the purpose of clarifying the aspects ofthe invention and it will be apparent to one skilled in the art thatthey do not serve to limit the scope of the invention. All modificationsand improvements have been deleted herein for the sake of concisenessand readability but are properly within the scope of the presentinvention.

The invention claimed is:
 1. A system for managing an electric powergrid, comprising: a server, including a processor and a memory, whereinthe server receives a power control command requiring a reduction of anamount of power consumed by at least one power consuming device; atleast one client device in network communication with the server;wherein the server issues a power control message to the at least oneclient device in response to the power control command; wherein thepower control message causes a reduction of a flow of power to the atleast one power consuming device; wherein a power supply value (PSV) forthe at least one power consuming device is generated at the server orthe at least one client device; wherein the PSV is a value relating to areduction in consumed power based on a measured participation of the atleast one power consuming device in at least one load control event;wherein the measured participation of the at least one power consumingdevice is determined at the at least one client device and transmittedto the server in at least one participation message; and wherein the atleast one client device includes at least one smart thermostat.
 2. Thesystem of claim 1, wherein the measured participation of the at leastone power consuming device includes a measured run-time cycle for the atleast one power consuming device.
 3. The system of claim 1, wherein theserver generates a total energy savings for the at least one loadcontrol event.
 4. The system of claim 1, wherein the serverautomatically aggregates total energy savings for a plurality of loadcontrol events.
 5. The system of claim 1, wherein the power controlmessage includes information relating to a change of state for the atleast one power consuming device, an alert relating to the at least onepower consuming device, and/or a status for the at least one powerconsuming device.
 6. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least onepower consuming device includes at least one heating, ventilation, andair conditioning (HVAC) device.
 7. The system of claim 1, wherein theamount of power available for the at least one power consuming device isdetermined based on weather or climate information for a location wherethe at least one power consuming device is located.
 8. A system formanaging an electric power grid, comprising: a server, including aprocessor and a memory, wherein the server receives a power controlcommand requiring a reduction of an amount of power consumed by at leastone power consuming device; at least one client device in networkcommunication with the server; wherein the server issues a power controlmessage to the at least one client device in response to the powercontrol command; wherein the power control message causes a reduction ofa flow of power to the at least one power consuming device; wherein theserver or the at least one client device generates a power supply value(PSV) for the at least one power consuming device; wherein the PSV is anactual value including a reduction in consumed power based on measuredparticipation of the at least one power consuming device in at least oneload control event; wherein the measured participation of the at leastone power consuming device is determined at the at least one clientdevice and transmitted to the server in at least one participationmessage; and wherein the server generates a total energy savings for oneof the at least one load control event based on the PSV for each of theat least one power consuming device.
 9. The system of claim 8, furthercomprising a database for storing information including the amount ofpower available for each of the plurality of power consuming devicesand/or an amount of power to be reduced to the plurality of powerconsuming devices.
 10. The system of claim 8, wherein the serveraggregates total energy savings for a plurality of load control eventsto generate cross-event total energy savings.
 11. The system of claim 8,wherein the at least one client device includes at least one smartthermostat.
 12. The system of claim 8, wherein the at least one clientdevice transmits at least one Internet Protocol (IP)-based initiationmessage to the plurality of power consuming devices to initiate thereduction of the flow of power to the at least one of the plurality ofpower consuming devices.
 13. The system of claim 8, wherein the powercontrol message includes information relating to a change of state forthe plurality of power consuming devices, an alert relating to theplurality of power consuming devices, and/or a status for the pluralityof power consuming devices.
 14. The system of claim 8, wherein theplurality of power consuming devices includes at least one heating,air-conditioning, and ventilation (HVAC) device.
 15. A system formanaging an electric power grid, comprising: a server, including aprocessor and a memory, wherein the server receives a power controlcommand requiring a reduction of an amount of power consumed by at leastone power consuming device; at least one client device in networkcommunication with the server; wherein the server issues a power controlmessage to the at least one client device in response to the powercontrol command; wherein, based on the power control message, the atleast one client device causes a reduction of a flow of power to the atleast one power consuming device; wherein the server or the at least oneclient device generates a power supply value (PSV) for the at least onepower consuming device; wherein the PSV is an actual value including areduction in consumed power based on measured participation of the atleast one power consuming device in at least one load control event; andwherein the at least one client device transmits an acknowledgement forparticipation of the at least one power consuming device in the at leastone load control event in real time or near real time.
 16. The system ofclaim 15, further comprising a database for storing informationincluding the amount of power available for the at least one powerconsuming device and/or the amount of power to be reduced to the atleast one power consuming device.
 17. The system of claim 15, whereinthe amount of power available for the at least one power consumingdevice is based on a baseline historical load for the at least one powerconsuming device, an estimation based on load profiles of the at leastone power consuming device, and/or power consumption of the at least onepower consuming device.
 18. The system of claim 15, wherein the at leastone client device includes at least one smart thermostat.
 19. The systemof claim 15, wherein the at least one power consuming device includes atleast one heating, ventilation, air conditioning (HVAC) device.
 20. Thesystem of claim 15, wherein the server generates a total energy savingsfor one of the at least one load control event based on the PSV for eachof the at least one power consuming device.
 21. The system of claim 20,wherein the server aggregates total energy savings for a plurality ofload control events to generate cross-event total energy savings. 22.The system of claim 15, wherein the reduction of the flow of power tothe at least one power consuming device is based on user parameters forthe at least one power consuming device in a customer profile.
 23. Asystem for managing an electric power grid, comprising: a server,including a processor and a memory, wherein the server receives a powercontrol command requiring a reduction of power consumption by at leastone power consuming device; at least one client device in networkcommunication with the server; wherein the server issues a power controlmessage to the at least one client device in response to the powercontrol command; wherein, based on the power control message, the atleast one client device causes a reduction of run-time cycles for the atleast one power consuming device; wherein the server generates a powersupply value (PSV) for the at least one power consuming device; whereinthe PSV is an actual value including a reduction in the run-time cyclesbased on measured participation of the at least one power consumingdevice in at least one load control event; wherein the measuredparticipation of the at least one power consuming device is determinedat the at least one client device and transmitted to the server in atleast one participation message; and wherein the reduction of therun-time cycles for the at least one power consuming device is based onuser parameters for the at least one power consuming device in acustomer profile associated with the at least one power consumingdevice.
 24. The system of claim 23, further comprising a database forstoring information including the amount of power available for the atleast one power consuming device and/or the amount of power to bereduced to the at least one power consuming device.
 25. The system ofclaim 23, wherein the at least one client device includes at least onesmart thermostat.
 26. The system of claim 23, wherein the at least onepower consuming device includes at least one heating, ventilation, airconditioning (HVAC) device.
 27. The system of claim 23, wherein theserver generates a total energy savings for one of the at least one loadcontrol event based on the PSV for each of the at least one powerconsuming device.
 28. The system of claim 27, wherein the serveraggregates total energy savings for a plurality of load control events.29. The system of claim 23, wherein the amount of power available forthe at least one power consuming device is based on a baselinehistorical load for the at least one power consuming device, anestimation based on load profiles of the at least one power consumingdevice, and/or power consumption of the at least one power consumingdevice.